


Hope is like the sun

by RensKnight18



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Birth, Breastfeeding, Cancer, Car Sex, Caught in the Act, Christmas sex, Death, Engagement, F/M, Father/Son Moments, Grandad Han, Love, Marriage, Marriage Proposal, Multiple Birth, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Oral Sex, Pregnancy, Reylo - Freeform, Second Pregnancy, Sex, Soft Ben Solo, Suit Kink, Triplets, Vasectomy, Work, dad ben solo, family chaos, letter from Leia, life - Freeform, lots of fluff, more Grandad Han, parenting
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-07
Updated: 2019-05-06
Packaged: 2019-07-27 11:30:43
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 62,924
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16218125
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RensKnight18/pseuds/RensKnight18
Summary: Ben and Rey Solo - High-school sweethearts, now husband and wife. Life is perfect, right?Baby #1 is a dream, but trying for baby #2 could be harder than Ben had anticipated - and he'll need to get over his little 'issue' first.~~~~~~Soft Dad Ben Solo. Extra fluff, fun, cuteness overload & sweet smut.





	1. Hope

Ben checked his watch for the 20th time in the short while he'd been pacing the hospital hallway – desperately trying to think of anything to take his mind off his wife - in pain and alone in the delivery room.

Although she wasn’t exactly alone - there were 2 nurses and a doctor in there with her - but still, _he_ wasn’t and it was killing him.

He ran over both baby names in his head a few times to distract himself, making sure to do it quietly so no-one else there would hear.

Because they weren't his names to reveal just yet.

Rey and Ben had decided not to find out the sex of their baby as they'd wanted it to be a surprise...

...kind of like the conception had been, but that's a story for another time.

 

Ben did a mental checklist to make sure they were _actually_ ready for this baby, even though it was too bad if they weren’t at this stage.

Not having everything ready wasn’t exactly going to change the outcome.

Capsule for the car? Check.

Pram? Check.

Clothes for the hospital for both the baby and Rey? Check.

_Nervous Dad who feels like he’s about to throw up all over the waiting room floor? Massive check._

He couldn’t stand it another second.

'Can I see my wife now?' he asked the night nurse for the 7th time.

15 minutes he'd been out of Rey's room and he was going insane with worry.

'I'll check again, Mr Solo but please try and relax' the nurse said, placing a gentle hand on his arm.

'It's just a few routine tests before the birth'

Ben _was_ trying to relax, but he knew it was an impossible task.

Han watched him pace the room, feeling more than a little proud at the man he'd become.

His own son.

Starting his own little Solo family, carrying on the Solo name.

It blew his mind and made him feel terribly old all at the same time.

'Ben, have a seat, _please_ ' Han said as Ben walked past him yet again - he swore he was beginning to wear holes in the waiting room floor.

'It could be a while before the doctors are done with Rey and you look exhausted'

'Can I get you something to eat?' he asked moving to stand in front of him, trying to get Ben to focus on pretty much anything else.

'Thanks Dad, but I can't eat. I'm so nervous I feel sick' Ben replied, simply walking around him.

He couldn’t even bear to sit down – the last time he’d tried he sat fidgeting with his hands, his shirt, his hair.

He felt better walking around, it helped settle the butterflies making a home in his stomach.

Han understood.

He remembered doing the exact same thing when Ben was born 24 years ago.

Pacing the hallway, waiting for any snippet of news about his wife, not being able to focus on anything else.

Except Ben should be _in_ there with Rey, things had changed a lot since then.

Or so he thought.

Han recalls the sick feeling in the pit of his stomach at the time and he doesn’t want that for Ben.

It hurt to see his son so worried.

Rey had been in labour for 5 hours now, but it felt more like 24hrs since Han had received the frantic call from Ben, Rey's water breaking while he was stuck at work...

Even being Manager at Solo Enterprises (the family company) couldn’t get him out of that important night meeting fast enough.

Although leaving the meeting wasn’t the problem, that was wrapping up anyway, it was the peak-hour traffic that had made the trip that much worse.

He put his foot flat to the floor at every opportunity on the way to the hospital.

He swore there’d be a speeding ticket waiting for him in the mail in a few weeks, but he couldn’t have cared less.

Rey and his baby were the only two things that mattered to him right now and he was eternally grateful he’d opted to take the two weeks paternity leave available to him.

Truth be told, Ben had built up a heap of personal leave over his years working for his parents’ company, so he envisioned _far more_ than 2 weeks at home with his little family.

 

~~~~~~~~~~

 

Ben was still pacing 5 minutes later, running his hands nervously through his hair.

He desperately wanted to be in there, holding her hand, supporting her and then a new fear crept into his mind.

_What if they forget about me and Rey gives birth without me there?!_

He was ready to break into that room by any means necessary.

 

~~~~~~~~~~

Their love had been written across the stars.

Ben and Rey.

Rey and Ben.

High school sweethearts and totally inseparable pretty much ever since.

It hadn’t always been perfect but they took whatever came their way – together.

From the moment Ben first lay eyes on Rey that first day of junior high, he knew she was the girl he wanted to marry.

He was only 14 at the time, still a boy, but he knew those feelings were something he'd never, ever felt before.

The fact he joined the school football team simply because she was a cheerleader told him all he needed to know - he hated football and pretty much all sport.

It was her stunning smile and hazel eyes that had him hooked at first.

And the way she'd worn her pretty, brunette hair- tied back in 3 adorable buns.

Buns he'd pull simply to tease her, as the flirting kicked up a notch in the schoolyard that second year.

They'd been inseparable since, all through school and into college and he knew back then he never wanted to be apart from her.

He'd lost his way a little when his mother passed away, he’d spiralled into a dark place, and without Rey's support he knew he probably wouldn't even be here now.

She meant the world to him.

Even though they hadn't discussed it back then, it was almost a given that they'd one day be married and bringing their own children into the world.

It was the natural order of things.

It just felt right.

And so here they were.

And this was only the start of the brood of kids they both wanted.

Ben wanted at least 2 and Rey was happy with at least 2, maybe even 3.

 

However, it had taken 2 years of trying just to get pregnant the first time, so they’d both be satisfied if this was the only shot they got at parenthood.

Ben _loved_ the trying part, that wasn’t the issue, but they’d gone about it the wrong way to start with - not really knowing any different.

It took a long sit-down chat with his mother, which Ben doesn’t like to dwell on too much – he’d revealed way more to her than he’d meant to and he’s still embarrassed by it – to make him realise that they probably just needed to stress about it less.

And that had seemed to do the trick.

Once they both let go of the multitude of recommendations from books and the internet and just let it happen naturally, it did.

 

~~~~~~~~~~

 

Ben was just about to lose his cool when the night nurse approached him, smiling.

That had to be a good sign, right?

'Ben, the doctor’s done now. You can see Rey'

He'd never heard such beautiful words in his life.

Hearing his name fall from Rey’s lips when they made love would always be first on his list, so he placed this a close second.

 _'Ben?!_ ' the nurse said again, and he snapped back to reality.

His feet had never moved so fast.

He flew down the hallway to the delivery room, skidding to a stop outside the door.

He’d waited so long to get back into that room, yet here he was – hesitating outside.

His stomach fluttered with nervous energy as he took a deep breath and swung open the door --

And there she was…except it wasn’t her face he was now looking at.

 

_Whoa._

 

~~~~~~~~~~

_Poor Rey_ was the first thought that ran through his mind.

Her legs were hiked up in some sort of stirrup contraption and the doctor was poking around - _down there_ – with his back to Ben.

Rey’s face lit up as she saw him approach her bedside.

She grabbed his hand with a vicelike grip and he leaned down, placing a soft kiss on her forehead.

And just as he did, she happened to scream directly into his ear.

Ben had never heard anything _quite_ that loud.

He looked from Rey to the doctor then back again.

‘What’s going on?’ he asked the doctor, panicking.

This was probably completely normal, but it certainly wasn’t to him and it certainly wasn’t to Rey.

‘This baby is ready to come out’ the doctor said, as if it was so glaringly obvious and he shouldn’t have even bothered asking.

 

_Well that escalated quickly._

 

The doctor informed Rey she really needed to push, and Ben helped see her through the pain as each contraction hit, glad he’d paid attention at birthing classes and could coach her through the panting technique.

He’d really enjoyed those classes, even though he was always one of the only Dad’s there.

Several screams and pants later and his heart almost burst with love, as his newborn daughter entered the world – wet, red and adorably messy - her sharp cry ringing out in the small space.

‘It’s a girl, congratulations’

It was official then.

Ben was a father.

Rey was a mother.

They were finally a family.

His own little Solo family and Ben couldn’t be more proud.

 

He was desperate to have his daughter in his arms, but they’d already placed her onto Rey’s chest and the sight of the two of them - the two most important ladies in his life - snuggling in that bed, well he couldn’t dare interrupt that.

He was startled when the doctor asked if he wanted to cut the cord.

Of course he did.

Yet it was the strangest thing he’d ever done.

It was like he was cutting into something he shouldn’t be, but he tried to wipe that thought from his mind.

_It’s completely normal Ben._

He couldn’t stand the sight of his little girl being poked and prodded by the nurses in the room, but Rey reassured him they were simply weighing and measuring her and making sure her nostrils were clear of fluid so she could breathe properly.

He decided that was a completely necessary thing for them to do, to make sure his daughter could breathe, so he relaxed a little after that.

And then he felt bad because it should be him reassuring Rey, not the other way around.

_Am I failing at fatherhood already?_

Everything was A-OK according to what the nurses were telling them so that was all they wanted to hear.

 

~~~~~~~~~~

 

That first hour was kind of a blur for both of them.

Han was allowed in to visit and although it was lovely having him there, it was going to be a hard ask to get him to let go of his new granddaughter.

‘Have you settled on a name?’ Han asked, cradling their precious bundle in his arms.

‘We have…’ Ben replied, turning to look at Rey.

‘At least, I think so?’

He was waiting for Rey to give him the all clear.

She looked really tired, but she nodded and smiled so he took that as a yes.

‘Dad’ Ben said, walking over to place an arm around his father’s shoulder.

‘Meet little _Hope Leia Solo’_

Han beamed.

He didn’t say anything for a while but when he finally spoke, Ben swore he saw tears in his eyes.

‘Thank you’ was all Han said, but that was all he needed to say.

Rey had been the first to suggest they use Ben’s late mother’s name as their daughter’s middle name and he couldn’t help but agree.

It was the perfect way to honour her memory.

 

Hope was the prettiest thing Ben had ever seen in his life.

She had dark hair, although there wasn’t that much of it yet.

The most beautiful hazel eyes, just like her mother.

The most perfect plump lips which Rey insisted she got from him, and who was he to argue.

And the tiniest, most perfect fingers and toes that Ben simply couldn’t stop staring at – and yes, he made sure to count them to make sure they were all there.

She was the most precious bundle and he never wanted to let her out of his sight.

 

The nurse entered the room and informed Rey it was time for Hope’s first feed.

Han nodded politely and returned her to Rey’s arms, shaking Ben’s hand on the way out and planting a kiss on Rey’s forehead.

‘You did good, kids’ he said as he walked out with a polite wave.

Ben and his father hadn’t always gotten along, and Han hadn’t been there for a lot of Ben’s childhood, so Rey was grateful they were spending more time together these days.

Ben suddenly felt uncomfortable, as the nurse hovered over Rey and talked her through breastfeeding.

Those breasts had been his and only his for so long now, he figured this sharing thing could take a bit of getting used to.

‘Do you want me to go?’ he asked Rey, gesturing with his thumb over his shoulder.

‘No babe, I really want you to stay’ she replied, reaching for his hand to pull him closer to the bed.

She shifted slightly over, asking him to sit down next to her.

It was a tight fit, but they made it work.

Hope didn’t latch on right away, but the nurse informed them that was normal, and she encouraged Rey to persevere.

Turns out Hope’s first feed was a disaster.

Well, not exactly a disaster but it didn’t go well either.

She’d go through a pattern of latching and unlatching, but that was normal too, apparently.

And Ben had to admit he wasn’t exactly hating watching these events take place.

In fact, he was loving it.

His girls finally managed to get into a bit of a rhythm with feeding and Ben watched in amazement for a while, before leaving the bed to grab his phone from the table.

He got Rey’s ok and started messaging everyone he could think of – in one big, bulk text.

He wasn’t big on social media – in fact, he pretty much hated it – he always preferred to talk or text to be honest.

Next month’s phone bill be damned.

 

~~~~~~~~~~

 

After Rey had finished feeding Hope and placed her back into her hospital crib, she wrote a list for Ben of a few things they needed from the baby store.

Little Hope was smaller than the 00 clothes they’d bought so they’d need a few things to tide them over until they got home and Rey could shop for herself.

She didn’t trust Ben with the shopping and it’s not like she hadn’t given him chances before now.

It wasn’t his fault. He either got distracted talking to people he knew or couldn’t quite seem to interpret her list, no matter how she spelled it out for him.

However, she wouldn’t be able to leave hospital for a day or two so she had no choice but to send Ben out into the world of shops alone.

It was a pretty simple list - 3 grow suits, Size 000.

Couldn’t be that hard, right?

Well it shouldn’t have been, but it was his first time in a baby store and he got a little distracted looking at all the adorable baby outfits.

Tiny little baby tees with slogans on the front, including one outfit that could possibly be his favourite – a matching father/daughter T-shirt set - one with ‘Daddy’ printed on the front and the other with ‘Daddy’s little girl’.

Unfortunately that outfit only came in sizes 3 or 4, but he bought it anyway - he'd make her wear it when she was old enough, whether she liked it or not.

Truth be told he wanted to buy one of everything.

_Just the grow suits, please Ben_

Rey’s words rang out in his head.

Thankfully the woman serving was more than willing to help him find the things he _really_ needed.

It was still sinking in that the clothes he was buying were for his _own_ child. He wasn’t used to that part yet and wondered if he ever truly would be.

He didn’t linger too much longer, keen to get back to his girls.

 

They spent the next few hours simply getting to know their little girl.

Ben bathed Hope and Rey changed her first diaper.

They took a few family ‘happy snaps’ to send to Han and Rey’s parents.

They knew the three of them would be bursting at the seams to show off their new granddaughter.

Rey’s parents would be in to visit first thing tomorrow.

Visiting hours would begin at 10am so they were making the most of the time they had alone - the calm before the storm.

Just the three of them.

 

~~~~~~~~~~

 

Rey had opted for an extended stay after delivery, this being her first time and really she wanted to have the nurses on hand to help her out for as long as she could.

However, 3 days later it was already time to head home.

They bundled together all the flowers, cards and gifts they’d received and strapped Hope into her capsule.

Ben excelled at bundling the capsule into their new car, double and triple checking everything was rock solid before he’d even contemplate starting the car itself.

They’d upgraded to an SUV a few weeks before their due date, Rey joking to Ben that it still may not be big enough.

It had 5 seats which Ben _insisted_ would be more than enough, but Rey informed him they’d need to be upgrading again in the next few years.

She didn’t _really_  want a hoard of kids, she’d be happy with only a few, but she enjoyed teasing Ben and watching the frustrated look on his face.

She just couldn’t help herself.

 

~~~~~~~~~~

 

The Solo’s settled into some sort of routine over the next few weeks and everything was going along nicely – except for just one part of their relationship.

And for Rey to say she was surprised with this turn of events…

…was an understatement.

 

~~~~~~~~~~

 

They’d first encountered Ben’s little _issue_ 6 weeks after Hope’s birth, when they tried to pick up where they left off in the bedroom.

Waiting the whole 6 weeks instead of the possible 4 had driven Rey crazy enough, but Ben had a problem that he couldn’t seem to get over and it certainly wasn’t the issue you’d expect.

 _That_ had never been an issue with Ben and frankly, she hoped it never would be.

No, this was something he tried blaming on Hope but she was now 10 weeks old and she wasn’t even old enough to know what was happening outside of her crib, _let alone_ in their next-door bedroom.

Rey had put up with it for long enough and as much as she loved Ben, she was exhausted and irritable...

...and she could now add completely and utterly _sexually frustrated_ to her list.

She'd finally reached the end of her tether and wasn't sure how much longer she could go without. She decided it was time she confront her husband about it.


	2. Daddy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sexy time...or, not?  
> 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is based on a true story. Not mine! Something a friend told me once.  
> So, thanks friend - sorry I stole your idea :)  
> *Please note updated tags

Ben relaxed on the recliner in the living room of their cosy 3 bed apartment, Hope fast asleep on his outstretched legs.

It was _guaranteed_ she’d fall asleep that way lately, and considering she’d been restless the last few nights, he was desperate to keep her asleep for as long as possible.

Ben was careful not to fall asleep himself though – he only ever kept Hope there long enough to ensure she was out cold, before returning her to her crib.

He’d assumed Rey would’ve been relaxing too, but she was currently busying herself in the kitchen - with _any_ cleaning task she could lay her hands on, it seemed.

And she wasn’t exactly doing it quietly.

He watched her for a while from his position on the couch, wondering what exactly needed cleaning _that_ urgently.

She’d been going all afternoon – surely there wasn’t anything _left_ to clean?

Mind you, she was looking sexy in her little cleaning apron – her knee length skirt slightly caught up underneath the back of it.

He wasn’t going to tell _her_ that though, he was enjoying the view of her legs far too much.

He was perving, and he knew it, but he was allowed to.

He continued to watch her.

She was splashing water around in the sink and on the floor - until she took a turn a little too quickly and ended up on her cute little behind.

He sprang from the couch, cradling Hope in his arms, rushing to her side.

‘Babe! Are you _ok_?’ he asked, bending down to her level. She’d raised her head and she was sobbing.

Sitting in the middle of the kitchen floor, sobbing.

Ben absolutely hated seeing her cry.

He made sure Rey wasn’t hurt before he quickly returned Hope to her crib and made his way back into the kitchen.

Placing both arms under hers, he helped lift her off the floor.

Her hair had fallen out of the messy bun it was in, mascara dripping down her face.

‘Are you sure you’re ok? You’re not hurt anywhere?’ he asked her again, waiting for a definite response.

‘I’m fine, Ben’ she replied, sounding as exhausted as she looked.

Ben pulled the dish cloth from her hands.

‘Let me finish this, you go and relax. You deserve it’

‘These dishes could’ve waited, anyway’ he informed her, as he turned back to the sink.

Unfortunately, this only seemed to set her off.

Her deep, frustrated sigh was the first indication she was about to unleash.

‘It’s not about the dishes _or_ the cleaning, Ben!’ she all but shouted. 

Ben turned to face her again.

‘Then what’s it about?’ he asked softly, prying for further information – not even sure he _wanted_  it.

‘And you might want to keep your voice down, I just got Hope to sleep’

**_Uh, shouldn’t have said that._ **

‘ _YOU_ got her to sleep?’

‘One night, Ben!'

I’ve been doing it most nights and you’ve done it _one_ night and you want what, a _medal_?!’

Rey’s voice had raised another few octaves and she was fighting back more tears.

Ben walked closer, placing his hands gently on both her shoulders, looking directly into her eyes.

‘Babe, _please_ talk to me. What’s going on?’

He wasn’t sure if it was sheer exhaustion talking or if something else was behind the outburst, but it was unlike her to yell, ever.

It just wasn't in her nature.

She wasn't going to spill, it seemed, so he decided on calming tactics instead.

‘How about I run you a bath and you can relax for a while, maybe read a book?’ he suggested, hoping that would calm her down.

It seemed to work.

For now, anyway.

‘Actually, that would be really nice. Thank you’ she sniffed.

He didn’t need to be told twice.

Ben left the kitchen and went to the bathroom to run a hot bath – sure to pour in a heap of bubble bath for good measure.

She’d been soaking in the bath for about 20 minutes when he heard her call out.

‘Ben? Can you please bring me a towel?’

**_Who forgets to take a towel into the bath?_ **

He was sure there were at least two hanging from the hook on the back of the door, but he did as he was told.

He’d learned rather quickly, and many years of marriage ago, that ‘happy wife, happy life’ was the truest saying he’d ever heard.

He knocked on the door softly before entering, always finding it safer to do so.

Let’s just say he’d learned that the _hard_ way.

Ben poked his head in the open door and placed the towel next to the other two - hanging on the hook as suspected.

He offered a small smile and turned to leave, when he heard her sigh again.

He’d _also_ learned that a deep sigh from a woman in the near vicinity of a man meant either she wanted to say something to him or she wanted _him_ to ask her what was wrong.

Ben decided this sigh was _definitely_ option two.

Walking over to the bath, he sat on the edge, facing her.

She looked serene and peaceful, it had been a few weeks since he’d seen her like this.

**_Mental note - more bubble baths._ **

‘Talk to me, babe. I can tell you’ve got something on your mind’

He was testing the waters, putting it out there.

She’d open up if she wanted to, he knew he couldn’t force her.

‘I’m sick and tired of cleaning, Ben’ she said, her head rising from the page she was reading.

‘So…’ he had to be careful here. ‘Just…don’t clean?’

**_Wrong answer._ **

‘You really don’t get it, do you?’ she said, sighing deeply.

She lifted a finger to remove the single strand of hair that had fallen into her face.

**_I guess I don’t._ **

‘Did I do something wrong?’ he asked, not expecting he’d like the answer if she said yes, but he went with it anyway.

Another sigh, deeper this time.

As though she’d been holding onto whatever it was for a lifetime.

‘It’s not what you _did_ ’ she paused, looking up at him.

‘It’s what you _didn’t_ do’

'And it's why I'm burning up excess energy _cleaning'._

The look that followed was one of _surely you know what I'm getting at here_.

**_Ok. What didn’t I do?_ **

**_Think back._ **

He quickly ran through recent events in his head.

He’d taken the bins out, he’d fed the dog, he’d gone to the market late at night to grab all the things on her list.

He’d changed Hope, he’d fed her while Rey was out at her recent check-up…

…he gave up.

**_I have no idea what I’ve not done._**

**_Excess energy?_ **

And then it hit him.

**_Is this about last night?_ **

 

Rey could see the thoughts ticking over in his head - she hoped he’d eventually remember what happened last night.

Or more to the point, what _hadn’t_ happened.

Again.

 

Ben was afraid to bring it up, but he was going to have to.

‘Is…this about last night?’ he asked tentatively, meeting her eyes.

She placed her book down onto the floor, sinking further into the bath.

‘Yes Ben, it’s about last night'

'And the night last week, and the night…’

‘Ok, I get it’.

‘I _said_ I was sorry about that’ he responded, hanging his head a little.

He wasn’t proud of recent events, but he was also really struggling to overcome them - and she just didn’t seem to get that.

‘Yes, you _did_. And you keep saying sorry, but that’s not actually _fixing_ anything, is it?’

‘And I’m not sure how we’re meant to be trying for a second child if we’re not actually _having sex’_

She was right, he couldn’t deny it.

Maybe it was better it was out in the open now.

‘No’ he replied, sighing himself. ‘No, you’re right’

‘So, what do you want to do about it?’ he asked, hoping she’d have a solution.

Because apart from shipping Hope to Han's, or Rey's parents for a night or two, he couldn’t think of anything practical that would help.

And he couldn’t bear the thought of being without his daughter again, for even a few hours, so he didn’t see how _that_ going to work.

‘Let me finish here and we can discuss this in bed, ok?’ she replied.

Ben stood from the side of the bath, reaching for the door handle.

‘You know..’ she continued as he turned around again.

Here it comes.

‘...seeing as we won’t be doing anything _else_ in there’ she finished with a quirk, poking her tongue out slightly at him.

**_Mm, that's hot._ **

‘Ok angel’ he said as he pulled the bathroom door closed behind him.

He knew she loved him calling her that, so it couldn’t hurt to use it now.

After a quick check of the crib to make sure Hope was sleeping soundly, Ben returned to their room and dressed for bed.

 _Undressed_ might be more appropriate.

You’d hardly call it ‘dressing’, seeing as he only ever wore underwear.

He lay there on his back, waiting for Rey to join him.

Ben ran over last night’s events (non-events) in his head.

It hadn’t been good.

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~

_**PREVIOUS NIGHT** _

 

He’d literally just slipped inside when they heard it --

The dreaded cry.

The one that _always_ seemed to come the instant they so much as _contemplated_ sex these days.

They’d been parents all of 3 months and yet they’d only managed to complete the deed once.

_Once._

In 14 weeks.

And that was because Hope had been with Rey's parents for a few glorious hours - much to Ben’s disdain - he _hated_ being without her.

It was killing Rey to go without and she hoped it was killing Ben just as much.

It’s almost as if their daughter knew – but she couldn’t know.

Yet Ben just _wouldn’t_ do it while Hope cried, and it was sending Rey crazy.

He immediately stilled inside her, a resigned look appearing on his face as he looked down at her.

She wanted him _so_ badly.

 _Needed_ him.

‘I swear she does _not_ want a brother or sister’ he huffed, his cock twitching against her walls, as if itself resigned to the fact it wouldn’t be getting any action tonight.

‘Ben! Don't you dare..'

'We’re never going to conceive this second child if things keep going this way..'

Rey sighed, the burn between her legs desperately requiring the kind of instant satisfaction it currently wasn’t getting.

‘Let her cry, Ben. I _need_ this’ she almost pleaded, desperately clinging on to him.

She was slightly embarrassed at sounding so desperate, but she couldn’t help it.

‘We can’t babe’ he said with a deep sigh, lifting himself off her to withdraw.

‘I just can’t focus with a crying baby in the background’

‘I’m _sorry’_

And with that, he pulled out.

Rey let out a wailed moan of dissatisfaction, rolling angrily onto her side.

Her hand naturally gravitated between her legs, desperate for any kind of friction she could get right now.

If he wasn’t going to help her, she’d take matters into her own hands.

Literally.

‘Not again, Ben’ she huffed.

‘Well, I’m coming if it kills me’

Ben chuckled, clearly thinking she wouldn’t go through with it.

She’d never _needed_ to please herself since he’d met her – he’d _always_ been enough.

But now she felt she had no choice.

Ben propped himself up in bed beside her, resting his head on his hand.

He closed his eyes, trying to block out the wailing, but soon realised his daughter wasn’t the only one making noise.

He moved closer to Rey, pushing his body up against her.

He nuzzled into her neck, craning to see what was going on under the sheets.

There was _definite_ movement.

‘Are you actually touching yourself _?’_ he asked in a whisper, sure to blow a warm breath into her ear as he spoke.

That always turned her on, and he knew it.

‘ _Yes, I am’_ she breathed back in between moans, parting her lips with a finger and pushing another inside.

She wasn’t planning on wasting time and if she made him jealous while doing so, mission accomplished.

‘You said you weren’t interested, so I’m finishing myself off’

Ben’s interest peaked then, when he suddenly realised the crying in the bedroom down the hall had stopped.

_‘Ben’_

There it was, his whispered name falling from her lips - how he’d missed hearing that.

She was close already, he knew that much.

‘Bennnn’

He could listen to her say his name _forever_.

But he’d be damned if he _wasn’t_ going to have sex now Hope was asleep again.

He took his cock into his hand and pushed it up against her bare butt.

‘BEN’ she cried, shoving her ass back roughly against him…

…right as she came.

He felt it, the coolness trickling down onto his hardness, currently shoved between her legs.

**_Damn._ **

**_Too late._ **

Rey came onto her hand, feeling it quickly trickle down the inside of her thigh, secretly hoping Ben copped a bit too.

And he did.

She wasn’t sorry.

‘You came without me…’

He sounded almost hurt.

Rey rolled onto her back and looked up at him.

She let out a deep breath, before reaching up to move the hair out of his eyes – making sure she used her come-covered fingers.

Ben let out a deep growl, his eyes narrowing at her.

‘Don’t think you’re done yet’ he continued, the smell of her arousal driving him crazy.

He shot a glance in the direction of the next-door bedroom, his rapid breath making his massive chest heave.

‘Hope’s asleep now, so how about we pick up where we left off?’

‘Ben, _please_ ’ she blurted, moving quickly to straddle him.

‘Oh, mamma wants to ride, huh? _’_ he teased, raising his eyebrows and flashing her that hungry grin.

_‘_ Mamma loves to ride… _Daddy_ ’ she purred, rubbing herself up against his length, desperate for him to be back inside her.

She knew he couldn’t resist when she called him _that_.

 

**_Daddy._ **

**_Man, kills me every time._ **

Ben placed his hands above his head, looking all too casual, but she understood exactly what that meant.

_You know what you want, take it._

She moved back to line him up with her entrance, placing one hand on his cock, the other on his chest for leverage.

He was dripping already, so she rubbed her lips against his tip a little, teasing him.

 _Big mistake_.

Another sharp cry from the bedroom put an end to that little fantasy before it had even begun.

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

‘Geeeez’ Ben said loudly, practically pushing her off him.

Rey was done for the night.

She was too tired to even feel hurt right now and Hope obviously needed feeding, so she had no choice but to turn her attention elsewhere.

She climbed out of bed and pulled on her underwear, grabbing her robe from the back of the door.

Stepping into her slippers, she huffed down the hallway to the bathroom to wash her hands, before heading into Hope’s room.

Rey cracked the door open a little, Hope’s screaming now filling the small bedroom.

She left the door open so Ben could hear the wailing - it really was the least she could do after the night she’d had.

Her daughter’s cries subsided as she spotted Rey above the crib, her little eyes now damp with tears.

Lifting her gently from the crib, she carried her to the feeding chair and slumped down onto it, opening her robe to reveal a tender breast to her hungry daughter.

It didn’t take long for Hope to latch on, Rey relaxing into the chair with a sigh.

Their daughter could eat - there was no doubt about that - but whether she got her ravenous hunger from Rey or Ben was up for debate.

Rey closed her eyes for a brief nap, careful not to actually fall asleep.

She loved breastfeeding - it was one of her favourite parts of being a mother.

It’d been difficult at first but in the last few weeks Hope had been feeding like a trooper -and that had helped Rey not be so anxious about it.

The infinite love she felt every time she looked down to watch her daughter feeding from her was difficult to put into words.

Hope still wasn’t satisfied after one side, so Rey swapped her to the other.

As she settled again, there was movement by the door.

Rey lifted her head to see Ben leaning there, his head cocked against the door frame, his eyes locked on her chest.

‘How’s she doing?’ he asked softly, entering the room in his boxer briefs and socks.

He ran a hand through his hair as he so often did – either because he was nervous or simply because it got in his eyes.

He looked good enough to eat - then she remembered she was meant to be angry at him.

But she couldn’t stay angry - she always failed at that.

‘She’s fine, Ben’ Rey responded as he made his way over to her chair, squatting down beside her.

They were silent for a minute or two, Ben’s eyes fixed on the sight of his daughter feeding, the sound of her soft sucking the only noise in the dimly lit room.

Ben _loved_ watching Rey breastfeed.

He’d felt like a bit of a perv to start with, but she'd assured him it was perfectly fine for him to watch.

And she loved when he did.

‘I still can’t believe we _made_ her’ he whispered, shaking his head.

It’s the one thing he’d never quite managed to get his head around.

'Babe, I'm sorry' he sighed, resting his head against the arm of the chair.

Hope had zoned out during her feed, now fast asleep in Rey's arms.

But Rey didn't respond right away.

She wanted Ben to think she was still angry even if she wasn't, so she decided to let him stew for a bit.

It was completely quiet in the room now, Hope's shallow breathing the only sound.

The small lamp in the corner the only light illuminating the dark space.

Ben felt terrible.

He knew he'd let Rey down, _again_ , and he realised he had some serious making up to do.

Plus, he was desperate to sleep with his wife again and it was _his_ fault he hadn't been getting any action.

He just couldn't move past that barrier - the one that reared its ugly head every time Hope cried when they were... _intimate._

Hope's mouth dropped off Rey at that point, her daughter now well and truly milk-drunk.

The air in the room had cooled somewhat.

Ben headed over to the heater to crank it up just a little.

'Here, I'll take her' he said, returning to Rey's side.

He reached down to grab the sleeping babe from Rey's arms.

She made sure he had hold of her before letting go, reaching down to adjust her robe to cover herself.

Ben cradled Hope in his arms, staring lovingly at her tiny, sleeping face as he begun to slowly pace the room.

Rey watched him, her heart overflowing with love.

She could never stay angry with the man she loved.

He was the best father she could imagine, and he had more love for their little girl than she ever imagined possible.

Ben planted a soft kiss on his daughter's cheek, before placing her gently down in the crib.

He leaned over to fix her wrap, making sure she was tucked in properly, safe and secure.

By this time Rey had drifted off and he smiled to himself at the sight of her there - the perfect mother of his child.

She looked so peaceful.

Ben carefully lifted her from the chair. She stirred briefly, before he carried her back to their room.

He placed her gently back into bed, pulling the covers up over her before planting a kiss on her cheek.

Then he climbed back into bed himself.

Ben lay awake a bit longer, listening to her breathing beside him, thinking how lucky he was to have these two beautiful women in his life.

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

Recalling the night before was doing his head in.

He knew he needed to fix things between he and Rey and he made the decision then and there to get onto it first thing in the morning.

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

Rey was still sleeping when Ben woke the next morning.

He snuck out of the bedroom, slipping on some sweatpants and a clean t-shirt from the laundry pile at the foot of the bed.

The pile he was meant to put away last night.

**_Another husband fail - add it to the list._ **

He walked into the kitchen and turned the coffee machine on.

Rey would definitely want coffee once she woke up and it was really the least he could do.

Hope hadn’t stirred yet, so he got straight onto it.

First port of his call – his father.

Ben and Han had grown closer since Ben became a father himself, so he figured he would at least understand and hopefully, be willing to help.

Ben busied himself folding washing from the basket on the dining room table, phone cradled between his shoulder and his ear, while he waited for his Dad to pick up.

‘Ben?’ his father answered. ‘Long time, no see. How’s things?’

And also, what do you want? You only ever ring if you want something’ he finished, laughing to himself on the other end.

‘Yeah, ok, sorry. I’ve been kind of busy, ya know?’ Ben responded.

‘But anyway, how are you Dad?’ he continued, slinging the towel in his hand over his shoulder.

‘Yeah, yeah, good. How’s my beautiful granddaughter? I bet she’s getting big now?’

‘She is. She’s growing up way too fast, that’s for sure’

‘Hey Dad, I’d love to chat’ Ben laughed, needing to cut to the chase before Rey got out of bed, ‘but I really  _did_ call to ask you a favour, if that’s ok?’

He wanted his idea to be a surprise, but he realised that probably wouldn’t be the case, as he swore he heard their bedroom door open as he was talking.

Rey was walking toward the kitchen, running her hands through her pretty chestnut hair as she approached, wearing one of his t-shirts.

**_Does she even have underwear on under that?!_ **

Rey walked over to him and he tried to continue talking but found his hands wandering as soon as she walked up to hug him.

**_Not angry anymore, huh?_ **

She wrapped her arms around his waist and leaned into him, sighing softly.

Ben lifted his arm to wrap around her waist, pulling her into his side.

‘Who are you talking to, babe?’ she asked in a whisper, looking up at him.

 _Dad_ Ben mouthed back, and she nodded, puckering her lips up for a kiss.

Ben leaned down, planting a soft kiss there.

‘Ben? You still alive?’ Han asked down the line.

‘Yeah, yeah, yeah. Still here just…can you hold for a sec?’

‘Sure’ Han responded.

Ben looked back down at Rey.

She took the hint. ‘I’m just going to grab a quick shower before Hope wakes up. Can you listen out for her?’ she asked.

‘Can do’ Ben responded, and Rey left, glancing over her shoulder, smiling at him as she left.

**_Man, she looks hot in my clothes._ **

‘Sorry Dad’ Ben said, placing the phone to his ear once again. ‘I’m still here’

‘Where were we?’

‘Uh, you were about to ask me for a favour…again’

‘Right’ Ben responded, wondering how best to put this so he wouldn’t get grilled to the nth degree.

‘I was wondering if you’d be able to take Hope for a few hours this afternoon? Even two hours would be fine, if that’s possible?’

‘We just, we need some time together and it’s really hard with a baby that hardly sleeps and…’

Han cut him off. ‘You need a break, son. I get it. Trust me’ came the response from the other end of the phone.

‘How do I know that, you’re asking yourself?’

**_As a matter of fact, yes._ **

‘I have had a kid, Ben and for the record, I remember you wouldn’t sleep either and your mother was constantly at me for sex and well…I don’t need to tell you the rest, obviously’

**_Thankfully._ **

‘So, you’ll take her?’

‘Absolutely. Do you want me to come and get her or are you going to drop her off?’ 

‘I’ll swing by once Hope’s awake, hopefully within the hour. That ok?’

‘No problem. See you then, son’ Han said before hanging up.

He never _was_  big on goodbyes.

**_Now to convince Rey._**

**_Shouldn’t be too difficult._ **

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

Rey was in Hope’s room when he went in to check on her.

She had her on the changing table and was humming Hope’s favourite lullaby.

He stood at the door for a while watching her until she looked up and noticed him there.

A smile.

Well, that was something.

He figured she definitely wasn’t angry with him anymore.

‘Hey babe, Dad offered to take Hope for a few hours…’he paused, waiting until she glanced at him for added affect ‘…and I thought, you and me…’ he added in a wink for good measure.

Her eyes lit up immediately and he could tell they were definitely on the same page.

‘How soon?!’ she asked.

‘As soon as she’s ready to go’

He swears he’d never seen Rey dress Hope _quite_ so quickly.

As soon as Hope was decent and there was a bag packed for her, Ben bundled her into the car, headed to his parents house.

He practically drops her and runs – well, he says hello and goodbye, but Han knows he’s in a hurry and Ben’s thankful the questions are kept to a minimum.

He’ll face the smart remarks when he picks her up again, no doubt.

Ben returns to their apartment and notices it’s somewhat dark inside.

The blinds are drawn in the loungeroom, only the dim hallway light illuminating it as the afternoon sun sinks low.

He finds Rey in the kitchen – and she’s dressed in the bare minimum – the sexy outfit she bought for their honeymoon again on full display.

 _ **Woah**_.

It’s black, lacy and almost see through and Ben can’t take his eyes off it. Or her.

He doesn’t need to say a word – she’s on him as soon as he’s in view.

She all but jumps into his arms, her kisses intensifying at frantic pace.

Her feet land on the floor and she scrambles to yank Ben's shirt up and over his head.

Her hands are in his hair and she’s tugging and pulling and kissing him senseless – he’s quickly losing control and loving every second of it.

‘Where?’ he breathes in between kisses.

‘Here’ she whispers back, and he soon realises they won’t be moving from the kitchen.

Her hands are on his crotch and she’s unzipping his jeans, her lips never leaving his mouth.

Ben’s well and truly hard already and aching for any sort of release.

It’s been weeks and he’s afraid he’s going to ruin it all before they even get down to it at this rate.

‘Babe?’ he breathes, pulling away from her for a minute, trying to catch his breath.

She’s looking up at him now, itching to jump back into it.

‘Can we slow down…just a bit?'

He cringes as the words leave his mouth.

'I just...don’t want to come before I'm even inside you’ Ben laughs, uncomfortably. 'I mean, we are _meant_ to be trying after all...'

He's slightly embarrassed he can’t control himself.

‘Ok, sorry’ she whispers, pulling away.

He grabs her roughly, by the hips, popping her up onto the kitchen island.

‘I’m sorry I made you wait so long, babe…let me make it up to you’

‘ _Please Ben_ ’ she whispers, and he happily obliges.

 

**_Kitchen sex._**

**_Totally worth the wait._ **

 

_~~~~~~~~~~_

 

'Don't just shove it in!'

'The lock's broken, remember. You have to wriggle it a few times to get it to work' Rose tells Finn, as he tries to pry the door to the Solo's apartment open as quietly as he can.

Finn and Rose are long-time friends of the Solo's, recently returned from a long overseas holiday, where Finn proposed and Rose said yes.

They've heard a lot about the baby through texts and emails, but they are dying to see little Hope with their own eyes. And also dying to share their news with Ben and Rey.

And they figure sneaking into the apartment - the one the Solo's gave them a key to and said 'you're welcome anytime, just let yourselves in' - is just the right way to go about surprising them.

However, that was before they became parents.

 _And_ before they realised they'd be trying for baby #2 so soon...

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

Rey throws her head back, savouring the blissful feelings between her legs.

She stares at the ceiling, doing her best not to scream, but she needs to see him.

Lowering her head to run her hands through his hair, she swears she sees the handle on the door jiggle - just enough but it's there.

She has the perfect view of the entrance to their apartment from her current position on the kitchen bench.

**_You're imagining things, stop it._**

She shuts her eyes, tight - a desperate moan escaping her lips.

'Don't stop'

 _'Please,_ don't stop' she begs.

Just as she cries out she lifts her head and sees it - the horror unfolding before her very eyes.

Except it's in slow motion, like a car crash you just can't look away from.

The door is now fully open and her friends, Finn and Rose are standing there, mouths wide open.

From their view she imagines what it looks like - just what it is.

Ben on his knees before her. Rey propped up on the kitchen bench, screaming.

_**Oh no.** _

'BEN' Rey screams, reaching down to pull his hair, trying to get him to stop.

But he doesn't.

Ben's oblivious to any other noise around him, but he does hear his wife's desperate cry, glancing up to see her eyes wide and her face flushed. 

'That good, huh?' he asks, breathlessly.

'NO'

_**No?!** _

'BEN STOP'

He raises his head again and notices the look on Rey's face is not exactly one of pleasure - more like...

_**Embarrassment?** _

Her eyes are trained on something behind him, but he's now too scared to turn around.

Then he hears it.

'Oh, don't let us stop you!'

'We were just popping in to say hello after our brief hiatus, but we can see you're...busy...' comes the deep, nervous ramble from behind him, followed by girly laughter 'so we'll _come_ back another time'

More laughter.

 

_**That could** **only** **be Finn and Rose.** _

_**K **ill me now.** ** _


	3. Mr Solo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben cuts Finn off before he can finish. 'This is actually my house, Finn and if you don't get the hell out of here right now, I swear…'

'People have to eat off those surfaces, _Benny boy_!'

Ben rolls his eyes.

**_Here we go._ **

'Were you gonna invite us around to dinner sometime and make us eat from...'

Ben cuts Finn off before he can finish.

'This is actually _my_ house, Finn and if you don't get the hell out of here _right now_ , I swear…'

Finn looks genuinely shocked. 'Relax man, I'm just foolin’ around'

Ben groans.

'Yeah, sorry. Things are a bit tense right now but I shouldn't be taking it out on you'

Ben bends over, hands on knees.

He'd left Rey & Rose alone in the kitchen after being sprung in that rather uncompromising position, retreating to the master bedroom.

He felt awful leaving her there, having worked her up and not finishing her off, but he just had to get out of there.

One, to hide his erection.

Two, to hide his embarrassment.

Three, to get away from Finn.

Unfortunately Finn followed him in, walking in right as Ben was in the bathroom wiping his face.

Ben knew he'd be loving every second of this and wouldn't be letting it go in a hurry.

He retreats from the bathroom shortly after – although he’d really prefer to stay in there forever.

‘Do you wanna deal with…that?’ Finn motions to Ben’s crotch, pointing out the obvious.

‘No’ Ben laughs, uncomfortably. ‘It’ll get the picture eventually’

‘Always does’

Finn laughs, shaking his head.

The two of them have been mates for years and they love to rib each other at every opportunity - as good mates often do - so Ben knows he'll be reminded of this every chance Finn gets.

The Solo's had a hand setting Finn and Rose up and Ben’s happy to tell everyone it was actually his idea.

Ben wished they'd hurry up and get married. It had been 5 years already.

'I'm actually genuinely sorry we barged in,'

Finn sounded sincere.

'I should've knocked, but Rose was excited to tell you our news, and you did give us a key and say come anytime…'

Ben sighs. 'Yeah man, it's not your fault'

'We just can't catch a break at the moment. And trying for a second baby while you're exhausted and...'

Finn's eyes go wide. 'Wait. You're trying again already?!'

Ben decides to dodge that question with one of his own.

'Hang on. You have news?’

Finn shakes his head, laughing. 'Nice try, man. Seriously though, so soon?'

'I mean, can you even have sex again yet?'

Ben laughs, sitting on the bed, his erection now finally taking the hint.

'Yeah, of course you idiot. It’s been, like, 16 weeks’

'Anyway, that's not the problem'

Finn sits on the bed next to him. 'You wanna talk about it?'

Ben pulls a face 'What are you, my therapist?'

'You have a therapist?'

Ben chuckles. 'No. Not yet. Won't be long though'

‘Ok, so talk to me. I might be able to help’

Ben raises an eyebrow at his friend.

‘Oh, you’ve tried having sex with your daughter crying in the background, have you?’

Finn blinks, taking in Ben’s revelation, promptly making a face.

‘What, you can’t perform with Hope crying?’

Ben stares at him for a few moments until Finn gets the picture.

‘Wow, ok’

‘I didn’t think you’d ever have trouble with…well, _that_ ’

‘Neither did I…until Hope. I just can’t with her crying. I’ve tried, over and over and I just…it makes me really uncomfortable’

‘So, just ship her to your Dad’s whenever you wanna get laid’

Finn says it so plainly, like it’s no big deal.

And maybe it’s not, but it is to Ben.

‘Sure. Ship her out whenever we're horny. What kind of Dad does that make me?!’

‘Uh’ Finn hesitates. ‘A normal one?’

‘I mean, I’m not a Dad myself _obviously,_ but people leave their kids with family all the time’

‘My mates with kids do it. What do you think they do when they’re alone? Sit down and read a good book?’

They share a laugh, Ben running his hand through his hair.

Finn looks pensive for a moment, then his mouth drops.

‘Oh crap’

‘Hope’s not here, is she? We interrupted your baby-making time?’

‘God, I’m sorry. We’re going, right now'

'I’ll go grab Rose’ he says, heading for the door.

Ben stands from the bed. ‘Look man, it’s fine’

‘We have to pick her up in half an hour anyway’

Finn walks back to Ben, placing his hand on his shoulder.

‘Ben, this shouldn’t be a revelation to you but you can get a hell of a lot of sexing done in half an hour’

‘I mean, what does it take you? 5 minutes?’

Ben pulls a face. ‘Nah, probably more like 3’

‘Mind you, if she works me up enough beforehand, I’ll probably blow in like 10 seconds’

Finn groans, laughing.

He puts his hand up to stop Ben talking. ‘Ok, ok. Waaaay too much information’

Ben grins. ‘Well, you _did_ ask’

‘Yeah, yeah, I did’

‘And I won’t ask again, trust me’ Finn says, rolling his eyes.

They exit the bedroom, finding the girls chatting away in the kitchen.

Rey's dressed, so she must’ve already explained things to Rose. Ben hopes so anyway.

He makes a beeline for her.

She’s standing behind the kitchen counter - the same counter he’d been eating her out on not 15 minutes ago.

He saunters closer, wrapping his arm around her, pulling her into his side.

He plants a kiss on her forehead and she manages a smile.

‘Hey’ he says, nodding to Rose, sitting on the opposite side of the counter. ‘Welcome home’

Rose smiles from ear to ear. ‘Thanks Ben. Some welcome home, huh?’

‘Yeah…about that…’

‘It’s fine, don’t worry about it. We’re not staying long’

‘Rey explained everything. We just wanted to say hi and meet Hope, but she’s not here so…’

Rose glances at Finn and they signal each other with their eyes.

‘We’ll leave you to it. We can catch up properly later’ Rose says, standing to reach for her coat.

‘How about dinner tomorrow night? Bring Hope so we can finally meet her’ Rose offers with a wink.

‘No really, you don’t have to go’ Ben says, half hoping they’ll leave anyway, but at the same time not wanting to _sound_ like he wants them out.

 _‘Ben,_ we’re going’ Finn says firmly, reaching over to shake his hand.

‘See you tomorrow night, say 6?’

‘6 sounds good. See you then’ Rey replies, glancing up at Ben, urging him to agree.

‘See you tomorrow then’

 

~~~~~~~~~~

 

As soon as the door shuts, Rey sighs.

**_Damage control._ **

‘Hon’ Ben starts, sitting at the counter across from her. ‘I’m so sorry about earlier. I…’

‘Baby, it’s fine. It wasn’t your fault they didn’t knock’ she replies with another smile.

‘I’m disappointed but it’s still not your fault. Please don’t apologise’

She makes her way around the counter to perch on Ben’s knee. She runs both her hands through his hair, giving him _that_ look.

Ben feels his cock stir.

**_We’re on again?_ **

‘How long until we have to collect Hope?’ she whispers in his ear, his body shuddering.

He steals a glance at the clock.

10 minutes.

And the drive is 5 minutes at least, on a good day. And it’s afternoon, so…peak hour.

**_Damn._ **

’10 minutes. And the drive is 5…’ he trails off, grabbing her hands.

‘Well, there’s always the car ride?’ she says, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.

_**Sex while driving can’t be the only option we have?** _

‘And how would that work _exactly_?’ Ben asks, wrapping both arms around Rey’s waist, drawing her in.

Rey ponders it for a moment before realising it’s really not a feasible option.

Ben sighs, standing.

He grabs the keys from the counter. ‘Maybe we can ask Dad to have her for a bit longer tonight?'

'Bribe him with dinner or something?’

Rey laughs. ‘Yeah, maybe’

She takes his hand, pulling her jacket from the chair. ‘We’ll work something out’

 

The drive to Han’s is mostly silent, apart from the car radio.

Darkness is setting in, a soft mist making it difficult to see and a slower drive than normal.

Pulling into his parents’ street – although his Mom is gone, he still refers to it as that and likely always will – he feels Rey’s hand on his thigh.

And she’s not just placing it there – she’s rubbing it back and forth, each rub ever closer to his crotch.

**_She picks now to do this?_ **

**_Literally 30 seconds from our destination?_ **

‘Babe, can you pull over at that vacant lot next to your Dad’s?’

Ben tries to concentrate on driving but it’s getting harder by the minute.

And now _he’s_ getting harder by the minute.

**_Picking up your daughter with a hard on?_ **

**_Nice one._ **

He slows just before the lot, pulling into the empty driveway.

Rey points out something in the distance. ‘Pull over behind that big tree’

Ben blows out a breath, doing as he’s told. He knows what’s coming.

**_Happy wife, happy life._ **

He pulls up behind the tree, cutting the engine.

Rey unbuckles her seatbelt, promptly leaning over to unbuckle his.

‘ _Rey_ ’ Ben says, his voice dangerously low.

He’s not a prude, but public sex isn’t exactly what he had in mind.

It’s dark out but people have lights – someone could still see them.

He's a Dad now, he _has_ to think about these things.

‘Mmm?’ she hums, moving over to straddle his lap.

It’s a tight squeeze and could get uncomfortable pretty quickly.

She shuffles back slightly to reach his zipper, pulling it down, wasting no time sliding her hand inside his jeans.

Ben groans, his head falling back against the headrest.

Rey's squeezing his hard length enough to drive him crazy, but not enough to give him exactly what he needs.

She wastes no time slipping her hand into his briefs.

Ben groans again.

'In a few minutes we’ll be picking up our daughter. We might not get this chance again for a _long_ time’ she says, directly in his ear - sure to place extra emphasis on the word _long_.

‘ _Please_?’

With his cock now out of his pants and her hand running up and down the length of it, he’s hardly going to say no.

Rey reaches into her pocket, producing a tube of lube.

‘I came prepared because we’ll have to ditch the foreplay’ she says seductively, unscrewing the cap.

Ben doesn’t even ask where she got the lube from – but he does notice it's not the tube from their bedroom.

**_What does she do, keep spares on her these days?_ **

She smears some lube onto her fingers, sticking them up her skirt.

Ben moans as he watches her prepare herself, and then him.

‘Ready’ she says, like she's just going out for a walk, her arms wrapping around his neck.

He notices she hasn’t removed her underwear, so he figures she’s not wearing any.

**_She planned this._ **

Ben adjust himself, wriggling to pull his jeans and briefs down further to give him room to move.

He attempts to stretch his legs out to prevent them cramping, but leg room is pretty scarce, even in their larger SUV.

Rey lifts herself just enough, her hands on his cock, guiding him inside.

She sinks down fully without hesitation, aided by the added lubrication, moaning and tipping her head back in ecstasy.

Ben hits the button to recline his seat, tilting it back slightly, allowing her room to move up and down without hitting her head on the roof.

He decides to let Rey do most of the work.

She’s moving at a frenzied pace, her moans growing louder each time she sinks down on him, but it’s not enough to get him fully worked up.

The lack of friction is driving him crazy. He’s not a fan of lube, it dulls the sensation a little too much for his liking.

‘We don’t - want to be too late - your Dad - will be onto us’ she says, breathless - her pert boobs bobbing up and down under her shirt.

‘Ben, you need to come’

**_Geez, give a guy a break._ **

‘Rey, please don’t mention my Dad _right now’_ Ben grunts.

‘I’m gonna need more, babe’ he tells her, ashamed it’s the case but there’s no point skirting the issue.

‘More what?’

‘Friction. Here’ he says, sitting up. ‘Grind down as hard as you can’

Rey grins, her movements up and down gaining pace. ‘I do love it when you say that’ she whispers in his ear, grinding down harder.

‘Yeah? Squeeze baby’ he says, almost growling at her, finally getting the required friction as she clenches her walls around him.

That always sets him off.

Ben notices Rey’s focus has suddenly switched to something outside the window.

Her eyes go wide, before her gaze locks on him again, her pace increasing.

‘ _Ben_ ’

She tries to convey whatever message it is, in between her frenzied panting.

‘Lights on - upstairs’

‘Huh?’ Ben says, shaking his head, not quite understanding what she’s getting at.

His hands leave her waist, moving to her hips, pushing her down harder onto him.

She quickly points to the side and Ben glances out the window, and up into the loft of his Dad’s house.

Sure enough, the lights are on.

A shadow near the window illuminated by the light in the darkness.

‘Do you think he’s watching us?!’

‘Doubt it…but’ Ben pants ‘right now - I don’t really - _ohhh_ ’

Ben tries to block out the thought, concentrating on his impending orgasm.

**_Let him watch._ **

‘I’m close’ he mutters, his hands digging into her hips once more. ‘Keep going - don’t stop’

Her hands are all through his hair, sweat beading on her forehead.

Thinking about all the times they’ve come so close lately and he hasn’t been able to finish has him right on the edge.

‘ _Yes - yes’_

‘Rey, I’m gonna...’ He thrusts up roughly a few times and it’s enough.

Enough that he practically shouts as he comes, spilling deep inside her.

Rey’s cheeks are flushed, her hair untidy, her walls contracting around him as he comes.

Ben eventually catches his breath, leaning his forehead to Rey’s. She’s breathless and sweaty and he can feel the heat radiating from her.

The car windows are foggy, the seat wet.

With what, Ben’s not exactly sure.

Sweat maybe?

Or come.

Rey stays in position for a minute or two, like she always does after he comes.

He’s tried explaining to her that most of it is so far inside her already, it’s not coming back out in a hurry - but she’s convinced it can only assist their chances of conception.

**_Bless her._ **

She climbs off eventually, bumping her head on the roof as she does, dripping onto Ben’s black jeans.

 _‘Babe’_ he groans, helping her back into her seat. ‘How am I going to hide this, huh?’ he says, trying not to laugh.

Rey loses it, giggling.

‘It’s fine, babe’ she says, reaching into the glovebox, producing the packet of baby wipes.

She whips a wipe out, rubbing the trail of come until it’s almost disappeared.

Rey wonders if it'll last long. It’ll probably dry and you’ll be able to see it, but she doesn’t worry him with that information.

Ben glances at his watch. ‘Crap. We’d better go’

He tucks himself back in, zips his fly and starts the engine, returning his seat to its original position.

Rey works her hair into a messy bun and smooths her skirt on the very short ride next door, making her look a tad more respectable.

Ben forgets all about his messy hair.

They pull into the driveway, the security light flicking on as they reach the front step.

Han opens the door with a smile. ‘Come on in, kids’

Ben shakes his hand as they enter, kicking his boots off inside the door, Rey doing the same.

‘Is Hope awake, Dad?’ Ben asks, glancing up the stairs.

Han notices his son's hair, stifling a laugh. ‘She just woke up. In the bassinet in the living room’ he says, nodding his head in that direction.

Ben leaves to check on her.

Rey reaches up to give Han a hug. ‘Thanks so much for watching her, Mr Solo. We really appreciate it’

Han smiles, returning her hug. ‘You really have to stop calling me Mr Solo, kiddo’

Rey blushes. ‘Ok. I’ll try’

Han follows her into the living room, Ben standing by the bassinet, Hope in his arms.

He’s rocking her back and forth, blowing softly on her ear.

It’s something he’s done since she was born, and surprisingly, it really helps sooth her.

It's a sight that warms Rey’s heart.

‘So how was the sex?’

Ben snaps his head up at his father’s question, his eyes instantly falling on Rey.

Han goes on, ignoring his reaction. ‘I mean, a car’s not the most comfortable place. You could’ve done it upstairs, I’ve got all those empty bedrooms…’

‘Dad, _stop_ ’ Ben says, glaring at Han, a deep flush visible on his adorable ears.

Rey giggles, her hand over her mouth. Han looks at her, breaking into a laugh.

‘C’mon kids, I’m not stupid’

‘I went through the same thing with Ben, I know what’s it’s like. You gotta take any opportunity you can get’

Rey decides to play along. She knows Han’s a relaxed guy and she’s enjoying Ben’s embarrassment far too much to end it now.

‘Actually, the sex was _really_ good’

Ben groans, the horror on his face satisfaction enough for Rey.

Han looks surprised for a moment, but Rey flashes him a wink and he responds with a smirk.

She sees Ben headed toward her, so she continues quickly.

‘I mean, we did try it on the kitchen counter earlier, but we were rudely interrupted’

Her husband now towers over her, his eyes telling her that she should stop talking _right about now_.

‘Kitchen bench, huh? Tried that with your mother once’ Han says, winking at Ben.

Ben cringes, rolling his eyes. ‘Gross, Dad’

Han laughs. ‘Well, I’m glad you kids got to have _some_ fun. Would you like a coffee or some dinner before you go?

Ben shrugs, leaving the decision up to Rey.

It’s getting late and Hope needs to be home in her own bed, so Rey decides against it.

‘Maybe another time, but thank you’ she says, collecting Hope’s baby bag from the table and her blanket from the bassinet.

Han nods. ‘No worries. Well, you know my door is always open for you both’

'Last day at home tomorrow, huh? Looking forward to being back at work?'

**_Work._ **

Work hadn't even crossed Ben's mind the last few months, but he knew he couldn't delay it any longer.

His Dad had been more than generous allowing him the extra time at home and he knew it couldn't last forever.

He had to get back and make sure the company was still ticking over.

Rey had a resigned look on her face. She looked the way _he_ felt.

'Man, already? That time has flown but yes, I'll be there Wednesday…as promised'

'Good man. Swing by the staff room around 9 and I'll bring you up to speed over coffee, ease you back into it'

Ben laughs, shaking his head.

Han ‘retired’ 3 years ago, but Ben knows he could never give up working, he loves it too much.

He seems to be around the office more and more since his mother passed away – helps keep him busy, Ben figures.

'Sounds good, Dad. See you then'

Ben holds the door open for Rey, grabbing Hope's bag from her shoulder as she passes.

Hope's fast asleep so they say their goodbyes, making the short drive home.

The traffic has eased, the mist thicker and lower.

Rey can tell Ben's got work on his mind. 'You ok, babe?'

'Yeah' he says, an affectionate hand falling on her thigh.

'I knew it was coming eventually but I'm gonna miss you two' he says, glancing over his shoulder at his sleeping daughter.

'Do you think you'll cope without me?'

Rey laughs. 'You know what? I think we'll be ok'

 

~~~~~~~~~~

 

The following night’s dinner at Finn & Roses' turns out to be the perfect wind down before Bens return to work.

He can see how much Rey's enjoying catching up with Rose - the girls spend most of the time giggling and sipping wine, the boys playing PS4.

Turns out Finn had proposed to Rose during their stopover in Italy, getting down on one knee in front of their entire tour bus.

Rose had accepted, of course, and so the girls spent most of the night making wedding plans.

Ben and Finn however, had a score to settle on Battlefront II, and seeing as Hope was asleep they made the most of it.

 

~~~~~~~~~~

 

Wednesday morning.

The alarm wakes Ben around 6.

Rey stirs but doesn't wake, so he slides out of bed with a groan and heads for the shower.

The warm water helps wake him but he soaks a little longer than normal this morning, delaying leaving as long as he possibly can.

He's rinsing his hair when he hears the bathroom door open.

Rey's busting for the toilet it would seem. He hears the flush and the tap run then the curtain rustle, Rey's face peeking from behind it.

'Morning’ she says with a smile. ‘Sleep well?'

He greets her with a kiss, her hand running over his wet bicep. 'Not too bad' 'You?'

She wipes the sleep from her eyes. 'Mm, not too bad'

She strips out of her pj's and steps into the shower with him.

Her hands immediately circle his waist, her head nuzzling his chest. 'We’ll both miss you today'

Ben lets out a deep sigh. "Not as much as I'll miss you' he says, squeezing her in a tight hug.

'Here, I'll leave the water on for you' he says, pulling away.

But as he goes to step out, she grabs his arm and pulls him back in, her arms reaching around to clench his bare butt.

 _'Don't go'_ she whines.

Ben swallows the lump in his throat, placing another kiss on her forehead. 'Baby, I have to go'

'But you know, I'd rather stay here with you'

Rey looks up at him with her best puppy dog eyes and her best pout - the pout she knows will get her pretty much anything she wants.

Unfortunately, it won't today.

Her hands move to his cock and she gives it a little squeeze.

**_Launch sequence activated._ **

'I'd love to, babe' Ben groans, placing some distance between them again 'but I really can't, I have to get ready'

There's that pout again.

Ben ignores it because he has no other choice.

He hops out, drawing the curtain behind him, toweling off his hair and wrapping a second towel around his waist.

Pulling his neatly pressed suit, shirt & tie from the closet, he dresses in record time.

He's leaning against the kitchen bench, drinking coffee and munching on toast when Rey enters in her fluffy robe and slippers - freshly showered.

She plonks down at the island bench, flicking open the paper before her, her legs dangling from the stool.

'Coffee?' he offers, pouring her a mug just in case.

She glances up to respond but her expression changes when her eyes fall on him.

'Everything ok?' he asks, slightly concerned.

She moves from the stool to stand in front of him, reaching up to move the stray lock of hair that's fallen in his eyes.

'I forgot how handsome you look in that suit…and what it does to me' she whispers in that suggestive tone he loves so much.

**_Oh god._ **

She reaches up to steal a kiss, wiping a crumb from his lips with her finger.

'You're killin’ me here' Ben mutters between kisses.

'How long before you have to leave?' she asks sweetly.

**_Nice try._ **

He knows why she's asking and much to his distain, the answer still _has_ to be 'no'.

'Babe,I promise' he says, with an affectionate finger trailing down her nose ' that I'll make it up to you…but right now, I really don't have time'

He sees the disappointment on her face and he certainly sympathises, but the fact is he’s late already.

He races to the bathroom to brush his teeth, running a comb quickly through his hair, grabbing his briefcase and shoes on the way out.

Rey's by the door, coffee in hand, looking good enough to eat.

**_That reminds me..._ **

He leans down to kiss her goodbye, whispering in her ear. 'Remember our kitchen episode the other day?'

She nods.

He'd be worried if she didn't remember.

'Tonight. I'll finish what I started'

She pulls him in for another kiss. 'Promise?'

He nods, winking. 'Promise'

'Have a great day!' he hears as he swings the door shut behind him.

‘You too’ he yells back, already halfway down the stairs. He leaps down the remaining stairs two at a time, opening the door on the ground floor to the noisy city.

The short walk to work gives him time to prepare his head, in an effort to re-enter work mode.

Wednesdays he usually gathers his staff together for a catch-up meeting, but Ben quickly decides he’ll give everyone – or rather, himself – a break, seeing as it’s his first day back.

Being Manager has to come with some perks.

Ben enters the building at 8.55, acknowledging the ground floor receptionist on his way through.

He enters the elevator and hits 6, fixing his hair in the reflection on the way up.

Several staff greet him as he makes the short walk from the elevator to the staffroom.

He pushes to door open.

The room is packed.

Seems Han had called the entire company together for a meeting without his knowledge.

His 2IC and arch-nemisis Armitage Hux weaves through the crowd toward him, offering a fake handshake.

The two of them only get on because they have to. In Ben's opinion, he's arrogant and cocky.

'Welcome back, Ben. It's been a while'

**_Yeah, 14 weeks dickhead. As if you didn't know._ **

**_Crap._ **

****_Back to reality._ ** **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for sharing this journey with me. I love these two and I'm having a lot of fun writing this!  
> Thanks for reading. I love you all xx


	4. A trip down memory lane

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey and Ben had decided not to find out the sex of their baby as they'd wanted it to be a surprise...  
> kind of like the conception had been, but that's a story for another time.
> 
> *An extra one-shot

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Or a story for now...
> 
> I had intended to include this in the original story, but there are many other things I want to include in the upcoming chapters, so I thought I’d do a little one-shot instead. Turns out my little one-shot is 10,000 plus words. Oops!  
> It's a trip down memory lane - mostly Leia & Ben, but of course Rey as well.  
> A mix of pure happiness, great sadness, hot sex, angst and well...everything really!
> 
> Hope you enjoy xx

5 days out from the wedding and Ben still hasn’t found a suit that fits.

It would appear most stores don’t cater for an awkward 6.2 and a half sasquatch.

Who knew?

All the pants seem to be too short or…too short.

‘How about this one honey?’ comes his mother’s voice from outside the dressing room curtain.

He’d be lost without her help – he didn’t even know what exactly to ask for, but she did.

She’d bought dozens of suits for Han over the years, his job requiring him to wear one every day, and it seemed, a new one for every ritzy dinner they’d had to attend.

Ben didn’t understand why his father couldn’t just change his tie each time and be done with it, but his family had money, so he figured there was no harm in a little extravagance now and then.

He wasn’t exactly thrilled about spending 10 grand on a wedding either, but his parents’ had insisted.

Another suit – they all looked the same to him – appeared over the top of the curtain.

Ben studies it on the hangar – it's black (his favourite colour) with a faint pinstripe pattern.

He wasn’t sure it would be long enough, but he could try.

He strips the other one off, handing it to Leia outside.

‘Thanks Mom. I’ll try it on’

‘Ok, honey’ she responds loudly. ‘I’ll pop this one back for you’

Ben cringes a little.

His Mom adores calling him ‘honey’ every chance she gets – especially in public.

Even worse - when she ruffles his hair at the same time.

Ben keeps his dark hair almost to the shoulder, spending a lot of time getting it just right every morning - he quietly despises that she sometimes undoes all that hard work with one burst of affection.

Ben’s an only child, and it shows.

He hadn’t had the best childhood but the last few years his parents had made a real effort to make amends.

Paying for his upcoming wedding was their biggest splurge yet but he was happy to indulge them a little – plus that meant he and Rey could put money aside for their children’s education instead.

Ben smiles in the mirror at the thought of 'little Bens' and 'little Reys' running around their apartment one day.

He’d never really been into kids, especially other people’s, but since he’d met Rey that had changed.

_Everything had changed._

Now he wants the whole shebang – marriage _and_ kids.

‘Have you got it on yet?’ his mother asks, sounding a little impatient.

That isn’t like her, she’s the most patient person he knows.

‘Uh, not yet’ He pulls the suit on in record time, cocking his head to assess it in the mirror.

At least the style is what he’s looking for. But on closer inspection--

He groans.

‘Ben? What’s wrong _this time?’_

He pulls the curtain back to step out, his pants 3 inches too short at least.

‘Why’d you have to go and make me so tall?’ he whinges, crossing his arms.

Leia rolls her eyes. ‘Hey, be thankful young man. Would you rather be short like me? I think not’

Ben smiles, running his hand through his hair.

The snooty sales assistant wanders over yet again, taking one look at the length of his pants.

‘As I said before, we can take them down. It’s only a little extra’

Ben just wants something to fit first time – is that too much to ask?

Everything he buys these days needs to be taken down.

**_Suck it up, princess._ **

Ben turns to the snooty sales guy. ‘I like this one, and the rest of it fits pretty well so…’

Leia nods. ‘I agree. I like this one’

The sales guy wanders off, Leia standing back to look him over.

‘You look very handsome’ she says, and Ben notices the tears in her eyes.

He tries not to dwell on the harsh reality of the situation--

\--the reality being that his mother has breast cancer.

Ben remembers the day she was diagnosed as the single, worst day of his entire life.

He’d spent half of it in tears in his bedroom, the other half spent trying to comfort his father.

The Doctors had given her two years to live, but that was 3 years ago.

Ben prayed to every living god he knew, every day, that she’d at least make it to the wedding - longer if possible.

His heart thumped in his chest as he swallowed the massive lump in his throat.

He couldn’t look at her right now, tears pricking his own eyes.

‘Should I go with a black tie, or a white one?’ he asks, in an attempt to break the sad tension.

Leia smiles, cocking her head to assess the available options. ‘I think black. You don’t want to outshine the bride after all’

Ben huffs. ‘Yeah, absolutely _no chance_ of that’

Leia gives him a look. ‘Rey’s trying on her dress today, isn’t she?’

‘Yeah, final fitting’ he mumbles, returning to the fitting room. ‘She’s in love with that dress, she can’t wait for me to see her in it’

**_I’d rather see her out of it._ **

He peels his suit off, returning it to the hangar, dressing in his normal clothes once again.

He pulls open the curtain, grabbing his sunglasses and wallet from the bench on the way out.

‘Ok, ties’

Ben tries to get away with a red tie, he thinks it looks amazing with the black, but his mother's having none of it.

‘Benjamin Solo, you _cannot_ wear a red tie. The theme of the wedding is black and white. No red’ she says in her sternest mother tone.

He knows when she uses his full name, he should just shut the hell up.

So he does.

They exit the store, Ben heading straight for the food court.

‘What about shoes?’

His next favourite thing after suit shopping would _have_ to be shoe shopping.

‘Mom’ he groans, turning to look at her. ‘No-one stocks my size, why are we even bothering?’

‘We are bothering, Benjamin’ she says, walking closer to reach out for his arm ‘because you are _not_ wearing Converse to your own wedding’

He caves, although she practically ends up dragging him there.

The sales lady is eyeing his feet as he walks to the counter.

Ben sighs. You'd think he'd be used to this reaction by now, but he's just not.

The woman would have to be in her late forties, a large grin appearing on her face as he asks to try on any size 13 dress shoes they have.

**_Lady, you'd better only be thinking about shoes right now..._ **

She returns with two boxes.

A whole store of shoes, and only two size 13’s...

Story of his life.

Luckily one pair is a perfect fit and goes with his suit. Two for two.

Ben returns the shoes to their box, bending down to tie up his kicks, when he feels a weight on his shoulder and a breath in his ear.

‘You know what they say about big feet’ the soft voice murmurs, making him shudder.

**_Rey._ **

He turns his head to see her standing behind him, dress bag in hand.

She flashes him a cheeky grin. ‘And damn, if _that’s_ not true’

Ben face flushes bright red, realising his mother has been standing within earshot the whole time.

He has a feeling Leia doesn’t know they’ve been sleeping together and he’s not sure how to break the news to her.

**_Newsflash Mom, I’m no virgin._ **

Ben and Rey lost their virginity together almost a year to the day after their first date, but it was Rey who’d decided they stop sleeping together two weeks before their wedding, so their wedding night would be special.

Naturally Ben is hating this idea, but he's in the home-straight now, so he’d try his best to see it through.

Although, risqué comments about the size of his cock from his fiancé certainly weren’t helping.

Rey had even chosen to stay with her parents the week before the wedding, just to wedge that dagger in a little further.

He missed her like crazy, and seeing her again--

He was ready to break.

‘Hello Rey’ Leia says, retrieving the shoe box from Ben’s hands. ‘I’ll just go and pay for these and we’ll head off for coffee. Would you like to join us?’

Rey nods. ‘Thank you, that’d be lovely’

Leia heads off to pay, joining the long line at the counter.

Ben grabs Rey as soon as his mother leaves, pulling her in close.

He inhales the scent of her hair, the smell of her sweet berry shampoo filling his nose.

He’d been craving that scent for over a week now, so holding her close is pure heaven.

He bends down close enough to whisper in her ear. ‘Is oral also off the table until the wedding?’

Rey groans. ‘ _Ben_ ’

He screws up his nose at that response, expecting her to say no.

‘Well…no, but we can’t...’

‘Our current living situation doesn’t exactly allow for alone time, remember?’

Ben already has that covered.

‘My parents have another gala tonight, come over for dinner. They won’t be home until after 11’ he says, squeezing her around the waist.

She sighs, keeping her voice to a whisper. ‘Ok’

‘ _Only_ oral though, _no sex’_

Ben nods. ‘Deal’

~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
Han and Leia leave the house around 7.

Ben and Rey are snuggled on the couch bingeing Game of Thrones, pizza on order.

Rey makes the first move, during a rather raunchy on-screen sex scene - the panting and moaning from the TV making Ben hot under the collar.

His shirt is mostly undone when the doorbell rings, his fly down.

The bell has rung twice already, so he tears himself away to make a sprint for the door, losing the battle to button his shirt in the process.

Unfortunately, it’s not pizza—

It’s his father.

Han takes one look at Ben’s face, his eyes dropping to his shirt and open pants, then back to his son’s face.

Rey attempts to sink as far down into the couch as she can get.

**_Sprung._ **

Han smiles. ‘Seems your mother forgot her keys’

**_More like she sent you back to check on us..._ **

Ben secretly hopes his Dad will go straight back and tell his mother how he found them – then he won’t have to walk on eggshells, pretending he hasn’t taken Rey every which way already.

Han grabs the keys from the table beside the door. He points at Ben, pressing his finger to his chest before he leaves.

‘You be safe, kid’

Ben simply nods.

The pizza guy turns up right as his parents are driving away.

Ben returns to Rey, plonking the pizza down on the coffee table.

She kicks her legs over his thighs, setting down against the back of the couch, piece of pizza in hand.

Two episodes in and Ben is reaching for another slice of pizza, when he feels Rey tug at his shirt.

Things heat up rather quickly, Rey dropping to her knees after a brief 5 minute make-out session.

She finds Ben’s wallet, retrieving a flavoured condom. She rolls it on like the expert she is, palming him a few times first.

Ben can barely breathe and seeing her there on her knees in front of him, has him losing control far too quickly.

After nothing for a week, 2 minutes of her mouth on him is all he can take.

He mutters ‘I’m close’ a few times before spilling into her mouth - the pure relief almost overwhelming.

Ben lays back, his head resting against the couch, his breath gradually returning to normal as the credits roll on the latest episode.

Ben pulls the condom off, tying it up and throwing it in the kitchen bin.

Fully recovered, he returns to the loungeroom, turning his attention to Rey on the couch.

He crawls over her, planting a soft kiss on her mouth, the scent of him hanging in the air between them.

‘Your turn’

She shakes her head. ‘No, it’s ok’

Not quite the response he was expecting.

Ben raises his eyebrows, a little confused. ‘You don’t want me to eat you out?’

She shakes her head again. ‘No, you can’t’

**_Can’t?_ **

She can see he’s not getting it. ‘I’m on my period, Ben’

**_Oh._ **

‘Why didn’t you tell me before?’

Rey shrugs. ‘Because I knew how much you wanted it, and I knew you wouldn’t let me give you head if you knew, so…’

Ben feels instantly guilty, until a horrible thought occurs to him.

**_No, no, no_ **

‘Please tell me you’re not gonna be on your period on our wedding night?!’

He closes his eyes, waiting for her response.

She laughs, so he relaxes. ‘Thankfully, no’

'Started a few days ago, so it will be gone by then’

**_Hallelujah!_ **

They spend the remainder of the night engrossed in the latest GoT episodes, in between kissing and petting on the couch, the last of the pizza now well and truly cold.

Rey’s asleep with her head on Ben’s lap when he hears the door unlock.

She stirs, but stays asleep.

Leia sees them there, creeping in so as not to wake her. ‘You kids still up, I see’

Ben laughs. ‘Well, _I am’_

He glances at Rey – she looks so peaceful when she’s asleep.

‘Fancy a coffee?’ Leia asks, shrugging her jacket.

Ben decides to let Rey sleep, nodding to his mother. ‘Thanks’

He lifts Rey’s head gently, standing from the couch, moving a soft cushion under her head before laying her back down.

Ben find his mother in the kitchen, Leia discarding her tea bag in the bin as he enters just before his father, Han closing the door to block the noise.

Ben takes a seat at the end of the table.

‘Hey kid’ Han takes a seat next to him, Leia’s eyes trained on Ben as she takes her seat.

Her expression has changed from when he entered the kitchen to now, and he's not sure what’s going on.

‘Ben’ Leia says, pushing his mug of coffee in front of him. ‘I think we need to talk’

**_Shit._ **

Ben takes a small sip of his drink, fanning it with his hand to cool it down. ‘Mm? About what?’

Leia glances at Han and he looks down at his drink - he obviously knows what this talk is about.

‘Are you and Rey having sex?’

**_There it is._ **

He’d been waiting for this question for a while now, but at the same time he couldn’t help but be slightly relieved that he wouldn’t have to hide it any longer.

Ben runs his hand through his hair, a nervous habit he’s had most of his life.

‘Mom, I’m not a kid anymore…’

Leia gives him a stern look. ‘That wasn’t my question, Benjamin’

**_Give it to her straight._ **

‘Yes we are’

Leia’s eyes lower over her drink, then glance up to Han who’s doing the sensible thing and staying out of it.

They’re exchanging looks across the table.

Ben sighs. ‘This is honestly a shock to you?’

‘Now that you mention it, yes’ Leia responds, taking another sip of tea.

‘How long has this been going on? I thought you’d at least wait until you were married…’

Ben shifts in his chair. ‘Mom, it’s been going on for a while now’

‘It’s not the 60’s anymore, people just _don’t_ wait these days. And I love her, so…’

‘Well, what about kids? Have you talked about when you’d like to have them? I mean, I’m grateful you’re being safe at least’ she continues, nodding to the bin.

**_Ah, right - she saw the condom._ **

**_That’s what this is about._ **

‘We didn’t have sex _tonight_ , if that’s what you’re worried about? Rey wanted to stop a week ago, until our wedding night’

Han’s nodding like he agrees, Leia looks less than impressed however.

Ben’s eye’s dart between the two of them.

Leia breaks the awkward silence. ‘Then, why the condom?’

**_Not sure that’s any of your business…_ **

‘Mom, seriously. Do you want me to spell it out?’

‘Look, we didn’t have sex tonight and that’s all you need to know’

‘And if this is going to turn into an interrogation about something that’s really none of your business then...’

He stands to leave, beyond frustrated, grabbing his cup from the table.

Leia grabs his arm as he passes. ‘Honey, it’s not an interrogation. I’m just trying to look out for you’

Han interrupts. ‘He’s right, sweetie. It’s really none of our business’

‘They’ll be married in a few days anyway’

Ben's relieved at least one of his parents understands. ‘Exactly, Dad. And we’re planning kids as soon as so, no more condoms… _finally’_

He’s saying it purely to rile his mother, but her demeanour changes at the mention of possible grandchildren, so he knows she won’t stay mad long.

He plants a kiss on the top of his mother's head after putting his cup in the dishwasher.

‘Night Mom. Big week ahead, gotta get some sleep’

She smiles, grabbing his hand on her shoulder. ‘Night, honey. I love you. You know that, right? Everything we do is only because we love you’

‘Mm, I love you too’

He moves to his father. ‘You too, Dad’ he says, pressing his hands down onto Han’s shoulders in an affectionate manner.

Ben returns to the living room, hiding just outside the door knowing they’ll be talking about him as soon as he leaves.

He wants to hear it.

He’s a grown adult, who can make his own decisions, but he can’t help feeling a tad guilty that he upset his mother when she’s so ill.

Leia’s clearing the cups from the table, sighing as she goes.

‘Surely that didn’t come as a surprise to you?’ Han asks her, helping wipe the table down.

‘He’s a grown man. He’s not a boy anymore’

‘We have to let him make his own choices and sadly…his own mistakes’

Ben screws up his face at that. He’s not exactly _planning_ on making any mistakes.

‘I guess I always knew, I just didn’t want to admit it. He’s growing up so fast and I just...’ she trails off, sitting in the chair again.

‘I guess I hoped he’d come to me…’

‘That he'd trust me enough to talk about the important moments in his life…’

‘And it makes me sad that I won’t be around to…’ she pauses, seemingly lost for words.

Through the crack in the door he watches his father and mother holding hands - and the silence between them.

He can’t take it a moment more.

He picks up Rey from the couch, carrying her upstairs to the spare bedroom.

He doesn’t want her to think they slept together when she wakes, so he tucks her into the spare bed with a kiss, returning to his room.

Snuggled in his warm bed he tries not to dwell on the fact his mother may not be around to see him have his own kids.

That thought is more than he can bear right now.

~~~~~~~~~~

  
Ben and Rey’s wedding goes off with one hitch--

\--them actually _getting_ hitched.

The whole day is everything they thought it would be – the sight of Rey walking down the aisle toward Ben in that stunning dress making him weak at the knees.

He wonders how the hell he ever got _so_ lucky.

 _Don’t Want to Miss a Thing_ by Aerosmith is their first dance.

It was the song playing on their first date and the song they’d made love to once or twice - those memories making Ben smile as he swayed with his new wife in his arms.

They spend that first evening as husband and wife on their hotel bed, reminiscing about their relationship and discussing their dreams for the future.

‘I want to start trying right away’ Rey tells him at the mention of kids.

She looks so peaceful and happy, laying on the bed in her tank top and shorts – her hair still curled, makeup still on - legs crossed behind her.

‘Really? Like, right away?’ Ben asks, hopeful.

She nods. ‘Tonight…if you’re ok with that?’

‘Uh, absolutely!’

‘Now, where’s those condoms? I’m gonna throw ‘em out right now’

Rey rolls her eyes, laughing. ‘Ben, I’m not sure that’s necessary. We might need them again one day’

‘Yeah, I’m just foolin’ around’ he says, returning the box to his bag.

‘Baby, the only foolin’ around you’ll be doing is with _me_ ’

‘Come here. I want to make love to my husband’

**_Those words._ **

She gestures with her finger, beckoning him closer.

Ben closes the curtains in a mad hurry, placing the ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign on the outside of their door.

He returns to the bed, crawling over to lie on his stomach next to her.

It’s still warm in their room after their earlier reception, the sun only just beginning to make its descent in the sky.

They make out for a while, before Ben sets their _sex playlist_ up on his phone beside the bed, putting it on low.

He’s always enjoyed doing it to music – his mates think he’s weird, but he likes it.

Rey wasn’t so keen the first time he suggested it either, but after trying it a few times she begun to request it.

Sex after 2 weeks of going without is as fantastic as he knew it would be.

Although, doing it raw for the first time in a _long time_ is making them both so enthusiastically loud, he’s worried the neighbours will complain.

But it’s the honeymoon suite after all - Ben figures if you book the room next door, you get what you get.

His mother would have a pink fit if she knew _not only_ had they been having sex all these years, they’d already done it raw once or twice.

That information he’ll keep to himself.

They change positions halfway, Rey ending up on top.

Ben’s found a new thing he loves about sex with Rey – the way she moans with immense pleasure each time he thrusts without a condom.

He’d forgotten the difference, it’d been so long.

It makes his toes curl - and his new wife comes with ease, with him still inside her.

Afterwards they lie tangled together naked, catching their breath - sweat-soaked and blissfully happy.

Ben orders room service, making the most of the hospitality on offer.

They decide to get a little more playful _after_ dinner with the leftover cream from Rey’s dessert.

Ben’s in total heaven, licking cream from Rey’s nipples, hearing her moan and watching her squirm underneath him.

After that he repays her head-job from a week ago, smearing cream down the inside of her thighs, dipping his tongue out to lick it from her ever so slowly, before eating her out.

The taste of his wife mixed with cream is a new one, but it’s a pretty good one in his opinion.

They make love again after that, slower this time, enjoying every inch of each other.

Afterwards they lay cuddling, totally exhausted, as the sun disappears for the day.

‘Mmm. I love you husband’ Rey murmurs into Ben’s chest, her head resting there.

‘I love you too, _wifey_ ’ Ben responds, stroking her hair until they fall asleep.

~~~~~~~~~~

  
2 years on and they’ve been trying to fall pregnant since their wedding night.

They’ve followed every suggestion they can find on the net and in all the baby books – including trying all the best positions, times, dates--

Everything.

And yet, _nothing_.

A doctor’s visit confirms that there’s no problems with either of them – except for the fact they just can’t get pregnant.

They’re both exhausted and over it.

Ben’s full-time Managing the family business and Rey’s working part-time as Receptionist for their company, Solo Enterprises.

Working with Rey has its perks – it means they get to see each other all day, but it also means they get to see each other _all. day._

Turns out that can be a bad thing – especially when you’re stressed and tired.

Leia’s health has begun to spiral downhill and that, on top of everything else, is all getting too much.

 

After a particularly uncomfortable argument in front of staff in the tearoom one afternoon, Ben’s at the end of his tether.

He calls Rey into his office and she bursts into tears, perching on his lap.

He wonders if it’s has been coming for a while.

Things have been rocky at home, as well as at work, and they need to talk it out.

‘I can’t do this anymore, Ben’ she sobs, her arms around his neck.

‘Talk to me, babe’

She gets her sobbing under control, reaching for a tissue from the box on his desk.

‘I’m tired, I’m stressed and..’ she lowers her voice, knowing the office walls are extremely thin.

‘I just want to have sex with you and _enjoy it_ …without all the rules and regulations’

**_Thank God._ **

Ben shifts in his chair, adjusting her on him. ‘You have _no idea_ how long I’ve been waiting to hear you say that’

Rey wipes her nose with the tissue, scrunching it up in her hand, casting him a confused look.

‘Huh?’

Ben smiles, reaching for another tissue before handing it to her.

‘I wanted to quit that ages ago. I just knew how much you wanted this baby, so I went along with it’

She looks surprised, wiping the last of the tears from her eyes and catching her breath. ‘You did all that for me?’

Ben nods. ‘I’d do _anything_ for you, Rey – surely you know that by now?’

She nods in return. ‘I do. I do’

‘So, can we please stop?’

Ben’s relieved to hear her finally say it.

‘Yes. We absolutely can. Whatever you want’

She breathes in deeply, letting it out just as slowly.

‘I don’t want to stop trying though. I just want to stop overanalysing it all’

Ben nods. ‘I agree. Let’s just go back to doing it the old-fashioned way and see what happens hey?’

A smile creeps across her face – it’s nice to see her smiling again.

‘I love you, Ben Solo’ she says, tucking his hair behind his large ears.

‘I love to you, Rey Solo’

‘Now get back to work before the boss gets mad and has to spank you’ he replies, wriggling his eyebrows at her.

Her eyes light up at his comment and she stands to leave, bending over to whisper before she goes.

‘I might actually enjoy that’

And with that, she walks out, casting a devious glance over her shoulder as she closes the door.

Ben locks that away in his memory bank, doing his best to make his way through the mountain of paperwork on his desk.

 

Things return to normal between them after that – sex becomes enjoyable again, not just a means to an end.

But still, no baby.

Ben really doesn’t want to bother his mother with any of this when she’s doing it so tough, but she’s at him constantly to come and see her, so he decides now might be as good a time as any.

Rey decides to catch up with some girlfriends on Saturday, so Ben drives down to see his mother at home.  
  
  
~~~~~~~~~~

  
Ben knocks twice, opening the door to tentatively stick his head in.

‘Mom? You home?’ he calls, stepping inside.

His mother is making her way down the stairs, laundry basket in hand, scarf on head.

She’s been wearing the scarf for over 12 months now, since her hair started to fall out.

‘Honey!’ she responds, dropping the basket on the floor at the base of the stairs to reach up and hug him.

‘I’m so glad you’re here. I need something from the top shelf and Han’s out’ she says, heading to the kitchen to put the kettle on.

Ban simply laughs. ‘That's the only reason you’re glad I’m here? Because I’m tall?’

Leia shakes her head, laughing. ‘No, not at all honey, just while I think of it’

She fills the kettle, pointing to the highest shelf in the corner cupboard.

‘That old box of your Grandma’s. Should be on the top shelf, if you can find it?'

'Might be behind something though, might need a chair’

‘Mom. I’m 6.2, I’m not gonna need a chair’

Ben opens the cupboard, reaching his long arm up, feeling his way. He locates the box, pulling it down and setting it on the dining table.

‘What’s it for, anyway?’

Leia pulls the tea bags from the cannister. ‘Nothing you need to worry about’

Ben doesn’t question it any further, leaning with his back to the bench next to her, wondering how best to start the conversation.

Leia’s watching him, his eyes focused on the floor in front of him.

‘Everything ok, honey?’

Ben breaks from his stupor, helping her relocate the cups to the table.

He takes a seat across from her, his arm resting on the top of the chair to his left.

Leia looks over at him. ‘You know I’m always here, if there's something on your mind?’

He nods. ‘Yeah, I do know that. I don’t really want to bother you though, with everything else you’ve got going on…’

‘Nonsense’ Leia says. ‘There’s never a bad time to talk with your mother, is there?’

‘I guess not’

Ben’s silence ensues, driving Leia crazy. ‘How’s Rey?’ she asks, sipping her drink.

‘Well, that’s actually why I’m here’

A worried look crosses Leia’s face and she sets her drink down on the table.

‘No Mom, nothing serious. Just…we’ve had a pretty rough go lately and I wanted to ask you for some advice’

Leia nods, her hands cupped around her mug of tea. ‘Anything’

Ben plays with his watch, avoiding making eye contact.

‘What the best way…’ he pauses, screwing up his mouth in thought ‘to get her pregnant’

He dares to look at his mother’s face, her understanding smile making him feel a little more comfortable with the conversation.

‘Oh honey. Didn’t Dad have that talk with you a while back?’

She’s teasing him, and he tries not to blush.

He’s not sure why discussing this topic with his mother is so uncomfortable, when he can unload all his dirty thoughts on Rey without a second thought.

Maybe because it’s his _mother_ he’s talking to.

Ben groans, shifting uncomfortably. ‘Yes, he did. But we’ve been following all the books and all the suggestions on the net for the last two years and...still nothing’

Leia nods as he talks, leaning back in her chair. ‘I think that’s your first problem, Ben’

‘Really?’

She continues to nod, understanding what he’s getting at. ‘Yes. Stop following all the books and the internet’

‘Just have sex’

Ben blushes furiously when his mother says _sex_. He’s not sure why hearing her say that word embarrasses him so much, but it does.

It always has.

It was certainly easier to discuss this with his Dad…

He does his best to shove his embarrassment aside.

‘I know you’re right, and we’ve finally ditched the books and stuff but…it’s still not happening’

‘We’ve both been checked out and it’s all good. I just don’t know what else to do’

Leia reaches for his hand across the table. ‘Ben, that’s all you can do. You just have to wait’

She continues, playing with her tea bag string in the cup. ‘You’ll probably be surprised to know that I understand this more than you might think’

Ben cocks his head. ‘What do you mean?’

‘Well, we had the same trouble conceiving you’

**_Oh._ **

‘We did all the same things you’ve been doing’

‘Well, mainly just books because the internet wasn’t around back then, but still’

They both share a laugh.

‘And 6 months later, it happened. You just need to give it time and not worry so much about it’

‘Where was I conceived?’ he asks, regretting it the minute he says it.

He’s not sure why he asked, although he _is_ curious.

Leia laughs heartily.

Ben loves seeing her laugh and smile – maybe that’s the real reason he asked, because he knew she’d get a kick out of answering.

‘Upstairs in our bed, of course’

‘Oh’ he replies, not sure what he was expecting.

‘You were expecting somewhere a little more…interesting maybe?’ Leia asks, a surprised look on her face.

‘Not necessarily’

‘Ben, I really don’t want to know all the places you and Rey have done it, if that’s what you’re hinting at’

**_Kitchen bench, washing machine, car._ **

**_Yeah, she doesn’t need to hear that._ **

‘No, no. Just curious, that’s all’

Leia continues. ‘If you must know, it _was_ some of the best sex we’ve ever had’

Ben pulls a face, now regretting this entire conversation – the thought of his mother and father doing it enough to turn him off the remainder of his tea.

‘Ok, ok. I get it’ he laughs. ‘So, in conclusion – just be patient, yeah?’

Leia nods. ‘Yes. That’s all the advice I can give you really’

Ben heads to the sink to rinse his cup, placing it in the dishwasher.

‘In the end, it’s all going to end up in the same place – no matter _what_ position you do it in or where’

Ben stills, mulling over his mother’s comment before placing his head in his hands.

She always manages to throw him with some line he never sees coming.

‘Mom, seriously’ he laughs, turning to shake his head at her.

‘ _Well_ , it’s true’

‘Now, here. Help me with this, will you?’

Ben’s glad to do anything to end this conversation, even though he’d been the one to start it in the first place.

~~~~~~~~~~

  
2 months on and Rey’s feeling particularly amorous one evening, the office emptying for the night.

Ben’s still working, his office door closed.

The last employee leaves the office and Rey flicks off her computer, packing her phone and glasses into her bag.

She walks the hallway to her husband’s office, knocking gently on the door.

His husky voice does nothing to help her current state.

‘Enter’

She closes the door softly, locking it behind her, lowering the blinds a little to block out the view.

Their eyes meet.

‘Well, I was kinda hoping you’d do that to me’ she says in her most sexy voice, placing her bag down on the sofa.

**_Shit._ **

Ben swallows as his wife prowls over to his desk, his eyes trained on her, neither of them saying another word.

Ben knows that look in her eye – he could pick it across a crowded room.

And it's one of his absolute favourites.

Rey perches on the corner of his desk, kicking her heels off, swinging her legs around to land on his crotch.

Ben’s breath hitches and he pushes his chair back a little, allowing her feet to rest there.

He can see up her skirt and he’s tempted to just rip it off, but it’s _her_ little game so he’ll let call the shots.

She presses her toes down gently around his hardening cock, Ben adjusting under the pressure.

He lets out a soft groan as she leans forward to access his belt, pulling that and his button undone, lowering his fly.

Rey shifts off the end of the desk, dropping her underwear onto the floor.

She stands upright, tugging on the top of his pants, Ben lifting himself enough for her to pull them and his briefs down around his ankles.

He’s expecting sex – right this moment, ideally – but it looks like she has other plans.

Rey falls to her knees, her hands grasping his calves, her nails digging into his skin.

It’s exquisite.

Pleasure _and_ pain.

Ben counts in his head, trying to take the focus off his throbbing cock, now exposed in his own office.

He almost can’t bear to look at her he’s so turned on, but he also can’t resist.

Glancing down, her studies her tongue as it darts out to lick at his sensitive tip, the tingling sensation at the base of his spine already building, his legs starting to shake.

Rey licks him again, running her tongue back over her lips, a soft hum escaping.

Ben rests his head on the back of his chair, closing his eyes.

It’s then that he feels her take him into her mouth, and he can’t help but thrust a little – attempting to push in further, squirming in his chair.

She withdraws her mouth to look up at him. ‘Ben, stop squirming’ she giggles, placing her hands on his knees to help steady them.

‘Can’t. You’re killing me’

He bends forward to breathe, Rey reaching up to cup his cheeks, moving his hair from his eyes.

‘I need to be inside you, babe’

Rey stands, looking down at him. ‘Well, that _was_ my original plan…’ She hikes up her skirt, moving to let him penetrate her.

Lining him up, she sinks down slowly until he’s fully inside her.

They groan in unison at the feeling, Ben sinking his nails into her ass.

He lifts her up and down, setting a rhythm. ‘I’m not gonna last babe’ he says, thrusting up into her with gusto.

She bounces enthusiastically, Ben smiling up at her as she does, her pert breasts bobbing under her white shirt.

‘God, I’ve dreamed about this for so long’

‘ _You – me - this office’_ he breathes in between thrusts.

‘Mmm’ she hums, taking him as well as she always does. ‘Me too’

Her pace increases, driving him to the edge. The sound of her slapping down on him is enough to end it.

Ben clenches her hips tightly as he comes with several loud groans, Rey throwing her head back and pushing down to take every drop of his sperm inside.

She hunches down over him, exhausted. They remain in the moment, clinging to each other and catching their breath.

‘Sooo’ Ben adjusts Rey’s hair, having fallen out of the bun it was previously in.

‘Spontaneous sex might just be my new favourite thing’

Rey laughs, lifting herself off him. ‘That’s no real newsflash, babe’

She reaches for more tissues, wiping the come that’s spilled down her leg, wiping his lap as well.

Ben stands, pulling his underwear and pants back up, Rey doing the same.

She quickly rearranges his desk back the way it was before.

Ben shuts his computer off shortly after and they leave the office together, Ben setting the office alarm on his way out.

Stopping for Chinese takeout on the way home, they enjoy the evening snuggled on the couch, binge-watching their favourite shows.

 

Roughly 4 weeks later, Rey enters the bathroom while Ben’s in the shower.

She rummages through the medicine cabinet, frantically looking for something.

Ben pokes his head out from behind the curtain, wondering what all the ruckus is about.

‘Babe? Everything ok?’

Rey sighs, obviously frustrated with whatever it is she can’t find. ‘Tampons. I think I’m out and my _bloody period’s_ come early’

Ben can’t help but laugh at her choice of words, PMS obviously kicking in.

‘I remember seeing some a while ago?’

‘I can grab some from the store later if you need them’

‘Ah’ she says, turning to show him the box in her hand. ‘Found them’

Ben pouts. ‘Not pregnant then?’

Rey’s face falls. ‘Afraid not, babe’ She plants a kiss on his cheek before leaving.

 

The following night Ben’s in bed reading.

Rey finally hops in beside him, after spending most of the evening asleep on the couch, which is really unlike her.

Within minutes she’s stroking his hair and nibbling on his earlobe.

Ben’s keen to finish his chapter, especially considering he’s right on a cliff-hanger and Rey’s on her period anyway, but he’s never able to ignore her for long.

He bookmarks his page, placing the book on his bedside table, rolling over to face her.

They kiss for a while, until Rey makes a move – hoisting her leg up over his, moving to straddle him.

‘Mmm’ she murmurs right in his ear, moving to pull his briefs off. ‘Babe, I’m horny’

‘Hey’ Ben says, sitting up. ‘Aren’t you on your period?’

She shakes her head and smiles. ‘Turns out, no. False alarm’

‘So…sex?’

‘Sure’ he responds, making his confused face. ‘False alarm?’

‘Yeah, turns out it was just spotting’ she responds, stripping him.

Ben grins, pulling her down on top of him.

 

One week later and Ben’s ready for work, waiting on Rey.

She’s been in the bathroom for a while with the door locked, and he’s starting to get worried.

He walks to the door, knocking softly, pressing his ear to it.

He hears the toilet flush. ‘Babe? You ok in there?’

The tap runs before the door opens.

Rey looks pale, and unwell.

‘You look terrible’ Ben can't help but point out.

Rey nods with a groan, pulling her robe tighter around her. ‘I feel awful. And I threw up.

‘There’s no way I’m going to work today’

Ben pulls her in for a hug. ‘No, you’re right. You’re not’

He guides her to the couch, laying a warm blanket over her. ‘I should stay home too and look after you’

She shakes her head, adamant he should go. ‘No, no. You go to work, I’ll be fine babe’

Ben’s torn. He has an important meeting scheduled for this afternoon, but meetings aren’t important right now.

**_In sickness and health._ **

He grabs the phone and calls Hux, telling him they won’t be in and to take care of the meeting for him.

Hux is less than impressed, but that’s no real surprise.

**_Might actually have to do some work for a change, instead of flirting with Phasma in the tea room…_ **

Neither of them have missed a day at work before, so it’s only right he stay home and look after her.

Rey falls asleep on the couch soon after, her head on Ben’s lap.

He picks up the pregnancy book from the armrest, stroking her hair while flipping through the pages.

Rey had bought the book a few years ago, _just in case…_

**_Bless her._ **

He skips to the section detailing pregnancy symptoms, keen to know what to look out for - even though he knows a missed period is the most reliable sign.

As he’s reading, he notices a few symptoms on this list that Rey’s been experiencing lately.

He tries not to get his hopes up.

Fatigue  
**_Most days lately_**

Menstrual spotting  
**_A week ago_**

Tender breasts  
**_Yep. The last time we had sex_**

Nausea and vomiting  
**_This morning_**

**_Shit._ **

He glances down at Rey, fast asleep on his lap, her face now with a little more colour to it.

Ben reaches down to her stomach, gently resting his hand there – careful not to wake her.

Could they be pregnant already?

 _Their_ child already growing inside her?

He doesn’t dare get excited just yet, deciding they should do a pregnancy test as soon as she’s awake.

At least then they’ll know - one way or another.

Rey sleeps for well over 2 hours, Ben eventually amusing himself around the house.

He’s done two loads of laundry and is busy preparing lunch in the kitchen when she finally wakes – her head poking up from behind the couch.

He makes his way over, sitting down beside her. ‘Hon, you’re awake’

‘How are you feeling?’

She grumbles a little, stretching her neck out. ‘A bit better actually…I’m pretty hungry though…’

Ben smiles. ‘Oh, you’ve got your appetite back? That’s a good sign’

He helps her stand, adjusting her robe and planting a kiss on her forehead.

‘I made savoury toast, if you feel you can stomach some?’

Rey nods, sleepily shuffling her way to the kitchen.

She hops up on the island stool, Ben placing a plate in front of her.

‘And babe’ he starts, taking a seat next to her, piece of toast in hand.

‘Mm?’ she says, taking a bite of toast and turning to look at him.

‘I was reading that pregnancy book while you were asleep and…I’m trying not to get my hopes up but…I think you could you be pregnant already’

Rey blinks a few times, chewing her toast, her eyes glancing to the side as she thinks.

Her mouth drops open as she looks back at him. ‘I guess it’s possible…’

‘It’s _more than_ possible babe’ Ben says, shaking his head. ‘I think you should take a test, then we’ll know’

‘I should. I’ll do it after lunch, but _this_ ’ she continues, munching away ‘this is too good to leave right now’

Ben laughs, biting into another piece of toast himself.

 

They head to the bathroom shortly after, the sight of Rey with her hand in the toilet bowl amusing Ben somewhat.

‘ _Ben_ ’ she whines, as he's leaning against the toilet wall with his arms crossed. ‘Stop laughing at me’

Ben pulls a face. ‘I’m not laughing, babe…it’s just cute’

‘Plus, I’m trying to distract myself’

She completes the test, handing it to him to place on the end of the vanity basin, Ben setting the timer on his phone.

Rey flushes the toilet, moving to stand in front of him. His arms wraps around her waist and they wait - staring at the test as if it might suddenly get up and walk away.

One minute in Rey turns to Ben, hiding her head in his chest. ‘I can’t look’

He attempts to distract her, lifting her chin for a kiss. As they pull away she looks up at him, panic on her face.

‘Babe’ he says, stroking her hair. ‘Try not to stress, ok? Whatever happens, happens’

She nods, turning back to lean against him with a sigh.

3 minutes down, 2 to go.

Ben’s timer beeps on the five-minute mark. Rey retrieves the test without looking at it, turning back to hand it to him.

Ben looks down at his wife. ‘Ready?’

She nods. ‘Ready’

 

Ben holds the test, his hand obscuring the results panel.

Rey’s glaring at him. ‘Benjamin Solo! Show me that!

_Two lines._

In reality, one hard line and one lighter one but according to the instructions that’s a positive.

Their eyes meet, Ben’s mouth dropping open.

Rey leans up on her tiptoes, grabbing his hair to whisper in his ear.

‘Can I call you Daddy now?’

Ben’s dreamed of the day she’d call him _Daddy_ and how he’d react.

He lets out a possessive growl, hoisting her up and carrying her down the hall and into the bedroom, setting her down on the bed.

‘I’ve heard pregnant sex is pretty amazing…’ he tells her, undoing the button on her pants.

Rey removes her shirt, backing up the bed slightly with Ben following.

‘Guess there’s only one way to find out… _Daddy’_ she purrs, pulling him down over her. ‘Luckily I’m feeling much better now’

Ben props on his elbows to stop him falling, not wanting to put any weight on her stomach.

‘You really gotta stop calling me that’ he snarls, shucking his pants and underwear, taking himself in hand.

She shakes her head, further fuelling his desire to pound her into the mattress.

‘I think you like it’ she teases, Ben bending down to kiss her breasts.

The noises coming out of her are music to his ears.

‘Is this ok?’ He remembers how tender she was last time.

‘Tell me if anything gets too much’ he says in between kisses, Rey unclipping her bra to allow him access.

He attacks her nipple with his tongue, pushing her legs apart to push his hard length against her.

‘Mmm’ Rey grunts, grabbing his ass. ‘Can we ditch the foreplay? I can’t wait’

Ben doesn’t need to be told twice, considering he doesn’t have the patience for foreplay right now anyway.

He swipes a finger down below to make sure she’s wet enough, before pushing into her fully, groaning at the feeling.

She’s definitely tighter than normal, especially without foreplay, but he’s not complaining.

It’s tight, and it's hot.

He can’t hold himself back, setting a punishing rhythm, already on edge.

‘I wonder how far along I am?’

Ben lifts his head to look at her, keeping up the pace. ‘ _That’s what - you’re thinking about – right now?’_

He can’t help but laugh, trying to concentrate on more important things. He bends down to kiss her neck as he thrusts, grunting into her skin.

Rey's writhing underneath him--

‘It feels different’

**_Huh?_ **

Ben pulls back to look at her, slowing to a stop. ‘What do you mean?’

Rey tucks his hair behind his ears. ‘Nothing really, it just feels….different’

Ben raises his eyebrows in confusion. ‘Different good, or different bad?

'Do you want me to keep going?’

She squeezes her legs around him at his comment. ‘Yes, keep going. Sorry, I was just thinking out loud’

Ben’s still worried about hurting her – even more so now. He’s not too sure what different actually means, but he decides not to risk it.

He decides on a change of position, pulling out slowly. He sits up against the headboard, legs outstretched.

‘Here’ he says, gesturing with his hand for her to sit on him. ‘Sit on me’

Rey hoists herself up and over, lowering herself onto him – a little murmur escaping as she sinks down. ‘Mm, that feels better already’

Ben nods. ‘We’re gonna have to change things up a little, I think. But that’s ok’

‘I don’t wanna risk hurting you…or the baby’

She nods, lifting herself up slowly then back down, her head falling back each time.

‘I think I like it better up here anyway’ she purrs, Ben assisting with a gentle thrust to match her rhythm.

His eyes are locked on her chest, the way her perky breasts bounce as she moves. ‘Yeah, me too’

She grabs his hands from her hips, moving them to her breasts. Ben gives them a few gentle squeezes, angling himself into her g-spot as he does.

Rey lets out a loud moan, the kind that tells him exactly what’s about to happen.

_‘Ben – shit – I’m close’_

**_She never swears during sex…_ **

A few sharp bounces later he feels her come, the unmistakable dampness between her legs spilling onto him.

Ben looks up at his wife, groaning along with her – he just loves that feeling.

She has her eyes closed and her mouth open. ‘Ohhh’

Rey collapses on top of him, catching her breath. It’s a minute or so before she pulls herself back up, face flushed and sweaty.

‘Woah babe’ she groans, flicking her hair out of her eyes.

‘SO good’

And with that, she climbs off, laying down next to him.

Ben’s hoping that’s not the end of it, as he really had his hopes set on coming himself, but she looks like she’s done.

He props himself on his elbow, turning to face her. ‘Uh babe…aren’t you forgetting something?’

There’s a blank expression on her face - he can see she has no idea what just happened.

‘Huh?’

Ben huffs a laugh. ‘Well, I could come _on_ you, but I was kinda hoping to do it _inside_ you’

‘But you already came?’

Now Ben’s really confused. ‘Uh no, I didn’t’

The puzzled expression on Rey’s face is priceless. ‘You did!’

‘Babe, I can _tell you_ …I didn’t’

She sits up on her knees next to him. ‘Are you kidding me right now?’

He shakes his head. ‘No, I’m really not’

A realisation comes across her face. ‘Then what was…that??’

Ben laughs again. ‘ _That,_ babe…was all you’

‘Really?’

He pulls her to him, Rey snuggling into his side.

She couldn’t be more apologetic. ‘I’m really sorry. I had no idea'

'Can we still...?’ she asks, looking between his legs.

Ben screws his face up, glancing at his soft cock, seemingly done for the moment too.

‘Fraid not. It’s ok though’

‘Later’

‘I owe you’ she says, snuggling back down with a giggle.

‘Yes _Mommy_ …you do’

That makes her smile at least.

 

The next day at the doctor’s office, they get the confirmation they’ve been craving for so long.

Rey’s definitely pregnant – approximately _4 weeks_ , according to the tests.

 

On the ride home, Rey racks her brain, deciding she’ll try and work out exactly when they conceived.

One particular stop at the set of lights she turns to him, and he can almost see the light bulb above her cute little head. ‘Ben…’

‘Mmm? Worked it out yet?’

‘I think so…’ she says, smiling over at him.

‘K, spill’

It’s at that moment Ben’s phone rings. ‘One sec, babe. It’s Dad’

He clicks the answer button on the dash screen. ‘Hey Dad, what’s up?’

‘Ben, you need to come home and see your mother’. His father’s voice is sullen, Ben realising straight away something’s wrong.

He pulls to the side of the road as Han continues. ‘She doesn’t have long left’

Ben slumps in the seat, rubbing his eyes with his hands.

He’d only seen her last week and she seemed upbeat and happy - how could this be happening _now?_

Rey places her hand on his knee, rubbing it back and forth. ‘Han, it’s Rey. We’ll be right there’

Rey cuts the call, undoing Ben’s belt. ‘Babe, I’ll drive’

Ben doesn’t argue, hopping out to switch to the passenger seat.

Neither of them know what to say – the drive a silent one.

 

~~~~~~~~~~

 

Ben enters his parent’s house first, his father walking down the stairs as the door closes behind them.

Han walks to Ben, placing his hands on his shoulders, looking his son in the eye.

‘Your mother's gone downhill fast. Oncologist says maybe a week at most...possibly only a few days’

‘She’s been asking for you both’

Ben can’t stop the tears as he reaches for his wife’s hand.

He’s not sure he _can_ see her.

How can he say everything he’ll want to say for the next 20 years in just one visit?

And how does he tell her the happiest news of his life on one of the saddest days of theirs?

He takes a deep breath, deciding he simply has no choice in the matter, leading Rey up the stairs.

As they enter his parent’s bedroom, the window is open, sounds of nature from outside filling the silent room.

Ben makes his way to the bed, Rey waiting just inside the door.

He leans over Leia, placing his hand on her scarfed head, whispering softly. ‘Mom, it’s me’

Leia’s eyes open and fall on Ben, a soft smile greeting him.

Ben notices she’s changed a lot in the last week since he’d seen her – her face is pale, and she looks to have lost even more weight.

But she’s still his mother – he needs to be strong, for her.

And for Rey.

‘You got that wife of yours pregnant yet?’

Seems she hasn’t entirely lost her sense of humour.

Ben takes a seat on the bed next to her. ‘Well’ he starts, motioning for Rey to come over. 'Funny you should ask that...'

Rey joins him at the bed, holding his hand as tight as she ever has.

‘Is it ok if I…?’ he whispers to Rey.

Rey nods. She knows what he’s asking, and she’d never deny him this moment with his mother.

It’s only fitting she be the first person they tell.

‘Actually, I did’

‘We’re 4 weeks pregnant as of today’ he tells his mother, taking her hand.

It’s just the 3 of them in the room, hands linked.

Leia begins to cry, and Ben begins to panic. The _last thing_ he ever wanted to do was upset her.

His mother notices his face, rushing to reassure him. ‘Honey, these are happy tears, _trust me’_

‘I’m so, so happy for you both. And I’m proud of you, Ben. For becoming the man I always knew you could be’’

Rey smiles back at Leia, struggling to hold back the tears herself.

‘Rey, could you please bring me that box on the chest of drawers’

Rey retrieves the box, placing it on the bed next to Leia.

Ben notices it’s his Grandma’s box – the one his mother had asked him to retrieve from the shelf the day they had the embarrassing pregnancy talk.

‘This is for you both, but please don’t open it until you’re alone’

Ben nods, sitting it next to his wallet and keys so they don’t forget to take it with them.

They spend over 2 hours in Leia’s room – mostly talking, sometimes sitting in silence.

Rey sits back, watching the two of them.

It’s not lost on her that this could be the last time Ben ever sees his mother.

Leia yawns and Ben can tell how exhausted she is.

‘Mom, we should let you get some rest’ he says, standing.

He fights back tears as he leans in over his mother, her frail state not lost on him.

‘I love you so much, Mom. I hope you know that’

Leia smiles. ‘I do, Ben. I've always known that’

‘Now, you look after that lovely lady of yours and that beautiful little baby…’ She trails off, knowing full well she’ll likely never get to see her first grandchild.

Ben hugs his mother for so long Rey worries she might not be able to tear him away.

‘And Rey? You look after my son. He loves you with all his heart, and I know you love him just as much’

‘Love him always. For me’

She reaches her hand up to place it on Rey’s stomach.

‘I don’t think this child realises just how much they’re loved’

Rey nods, moving to hug Leia goodbye. ‘I love you too, Leia. I’ll look after these two for you’

A single tear falls from her eye onto Leia’s scarf, Rey squeezing her eyes shut in an attempt to stop the tears from flowing.

But it’s pointless.

She pulls away and turns to Ben - he’s standing behind her in a daze.

Rey doesn’t want to pull him away, but she doesn’t want to prolong the anguish either.

A touch to his arm jolts him back to reality and then he’s rushing to get out of there.

He kisses Leia once more, telling her how much he loves her and that he’ll look after his family and his father--

\--and then he’s gone.

Rey says one final goodbye, grabbing the box and Ben’s belongings that he’d forgotten, closing the door softly behind her.

Ben’s almost at the bottom of the stairs when she steps out onto the landing – Rey takes the remainder two at a time to try and catch up with him.

Her strong husband collapses on the bottom step, head in hands. The tears are flowing freely now, nothing holding them back.

All Rey can do is perch on the step beside him and _be there._

For as long as it takes.

Ben’s tears eventually ease and they make their way into the dining room.

Han’s sitting there solemnly, pot of coffee in front of him. It’s almost cold, so Rey takes it upon herself to make a fresh one.

Han’s not backward in coming forward, filling them in on Leia’s will and funeral plans.

Ben can’t bear to think about any of this right now, but he listens anyway.

Rey tells Han their news and he couldn’t be more excited, considering the circumstances.

After an hour with Han, Ben’s exhausted and can’t take any more – he’s desperate for some air.

They bid their father farewell, Ben taking one final glance up the stairs before they leave, his sullen expression killing Rey a little more each time she sees it.

They don’t jump in the car straight away.

Ben wants to wander the property for a while - Rey can tell he can’t quite bring himself to leave.

Hand in hand they walk the trails beside his parent’s property.

Ben reminisces about the good times he had here, and the not so good.

It wasn’t perfect, but whose childhood ever was?

But it’s getting late and they need to make a move home. Rey drives once again, Ben’s large hand on her thigh the entire trip.

He’s completely silent, watching out the window the whole time, sniffing every so often.

 

Dinner at home is also a quiet affair, the dreaded phone call coming later that night around 9pm.

Rey’s in bed reading, but she knows – she can hear it in the way Ben’s talking to his father – short answers of _uh huh_ and _ok,_ and not much else.

She’s not sure whether to go to him or let him come to her, although she doesn’t have to wait long for him to make the decision for her.

Ben enters their room already dressed for bed. He hops in beside Rey, pulling her into him.

She rests her head on his shoulder and they say nothing, but she can tell Leia’s gone.

‘Do you want to talk about it?’ she asks, tentatively.

Seems he does.

‘She passed away not long after we left’

‘Dad thinks she was just waiting to see us first’

‘Baby, I’m so sorry’ she says, moving to hug him.

It’s a long hug, neither of them wanting to break it. Ben grabs her face, lifting it in his hands, pressing his lips to hers.

He’s certainly eager, pushing his tongue into her mouth without hesitation.

It’s a little unexpected but Rey decides whatever he wants right now, to take his mind off losing his mother, she’ll let him have.

He pushes her backwards, leaning over her, their kiss intensifying.

He wants sex, she can tell.

Rey’s unsure if it’s a good idea _,_ but she doesn’t have the heart to tell him no.

They make slow and tender love together, Ben pouring all his anger and sadness into it.

Rey lays there, simply letting him take whatever he needs.

It’s heartbreaking, and it’s beautiful, and it’s everything he needs right now, Ben collapsing beside her afterwards – truly spent.

They cuddle afterwards, Ben falling asleep eventually, Rey not long after.

 

The funeral is as hard as you’d expect - it takes every ounce of strength to get through it, especially now Rey’s morning sickness has fully kicked in.

She spends the morning in the toilet, the afternoon mostly in tears, trying her best to support her husband.

Thankfully most of Ben’s grief has been channelled into ensuring the day runs smoothly. Rey’s thankful he has something to occupy him.

They haven’t even really had time to enjoy their baby news properly and it’s still far too early to tell anyone unfortunately, but they cope - somehow.

 

That evening once they’re home alone, Ben brings the box of Leia’s out to the living room.

He sits beside Rey on the couch, box perched on his lap.

‘I thought tonight might be a good time to open this, if you want to?’

Rey nods, putting her book aside to turn to him.

He takes a deep breath, pulling open the lid of the wicker chest.

The box is full of beautiful, handmade baby clothes.

Rey almost bursts into tears then and there, but she manages to bite them back for her husband’s benefit.

She doesn’t want to lose it again so soon.

Ben pulls out the item on top – a soft, lemon coloured jacket – carefully stitched with love.

‘Dad said Mom had been occupying herself with a lot of knitting lately...makes sense now’

He pulls out more items of lemon and white, cradling the soft wool in his hands.

‘It’s like she knew…’ he says, pulling out a handwritten letter from inside.

He flips open the paper, reading out loud.

Rey moves closer, clutching onto his arm while leaning against him.

Ben reads, softly and slowly _._  
  


 _To my future Solo grandchildren,_  
  
_Your parents love you more than they could ever put into words – I know this to be true._  
  
_A parent’s love is wider than the ocean, and brighter than any star._  
  
_I’m sorry I’ll never get to meet you, but I love you more than words can say._  
  
_Hopefully your Mom and Dad will tell you all about me some day._  
  
_Life is short – live, love, laugh and be happy._  
  
_Your Grandma, Leia x_

 

Rey reaches up to move the hair from Ben’s eyes, turning his head to face her. ‘If we have a girl, can we use your mother’s name as her middle name?’

Ben nods, tears in his eyes. ‘I’d really like that’

He swallows, placing his hand on her growing stomach. ‘I think Mom would too’

Rey continues. 'By the way, I never got to tell you...'

Ben looks at her with watery eyes. 'Yeah?'

'Our conception date. I'm pretty sure it was that night in your office' she smiles, flashing him a wink.

'You're kidding?!'

Rey shakes her head. 'I mean, we can't be 100% sure, but I have a feeling it was'

Ben pulls her close, planting a kiss on her head. 'See'

'Told you spontaneous sex was my new favourite'

 


	5. Santa Claus is going to town

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Ben & Rey's first Christmas with their daughter, Hope.  
> But what is Christmas without a suit kink, smut, family time and a few...surprises 👀

_Benjamin Solo – CEO_

First on his to-do list - find out _which_ idiot requested his desk plaque be engraved with his full name, although he's pretty sure he knows already.

Han had surprised Ben with the unexpected promotion in front of the entire company, so he could hardly say no.

Ben sits back in his large leather office chair – finally, a chair that actually fit _all_ of him – looking around his sprawling office, mulling over the fact his father had just entrusted him his greatest legacy.

It was both an honour and a surprise.

But he’d be damned if he wouldn’t do the very best he could in his new role.

Unfortunately he was stuck with Hux as 2IC, just when he was hoping to be rid of the grovelling so and so.

Ben could pretty much get on with anyone, but there was just something about Hux that rubbed him the wrong way and try as he might, he despised the guy.

Speak of the devil-

-one quick knock and the door opened, his unmistakable ginger head poking through the gap.

‘We need to have a word about the Jackson account. Gotta sec?’

Ben vowed to try his best to be polite, even if it killed him.

‘Sure, come in’

Hux takes a seat, glancing around the large space then to the desk in front of him.

‘Benjamin?’ he asks with a snivelling chuckle.

‘Bet you wanna kill the person who organised _that_ ’

**_Smug bastard._ **

 

~~~~~~~~~~

 

His first few weeks at work hadn’t been as easy as he might have expected. Between dealing with staff issues, complaints and paperwork, he was truly exhausted at the end of this particular week, ready to go home and see his girls.

The short walk home does wonders to clear his mind, especially now the weather is cooling off, Ben trying his best to leave work behind until tomorrow.

Over the years he’s realised it never helped to bring it home with him and now that he’s a father he wants to make doubly sure he doesn’t ruin his near perfect home life by merging the two.

He decides Chinese take-out might be the way to go, Rey having been home all day by herself and Ben simply too tired to cook.

At that exact moment his phone pings with a message from Rey:

**_Hey babe, at your Dads. Got sick of being at home haha, so he picked us up and we spent the afternoon here. Dinner ready when you arrive! Love you x_ **

He diverts his route back to the apartment to grab the car, debating whether to change out of his suit before he leaves, eventually deciding against it-

-his rumbling stomach makes that decision for him.

He makes the drive to Han’s, keen to shuck his suit as soon as he’s home.

Ben’s not sure how his Dad spent so many years working in a suit. Sure, they look smart and all, but they’re a bit too restrictive for Ben’s liking.

The shirts especially – for one, the buttons just never seem to stay buttoned.

Rey tells him it’s because his pecs are so huge.

Ben arrives at his parents' house, finding Rey in the living room burping Hope on her shoulder - his Dad nowhere to be seen.

He wanders up behind her, crouching down to peer up at his daughter’s beautiful face.

Hope looks up when she sees him standing there, her tiny eyes staring right back at him.

**_Was that a smile?!_ **

‘She smiled babe’

He wonders if it’s her first or if she’s been doing it for a while and Rey forgot to tell him.

‘Aww babe. Sadly, I think it’s just wind’

Ben pouts in that adorable way that he does, and Rey feels bad for bursting his bubble.

‘But, I’m sure she’ll be smiling really soon’

‘Yeah. Or maybe she’ll just be windy forever’ he laughs, standing upright.

It’s Rey’s turn to laugh now. ‘Well if that’s the case, we all know where she gets THAT from’

Ben gives her a little squeeze on the back of her neck, the way he often does when she teases him.

He plants a kiss on her cheek, laughing to himself as he enters the kitchen to pull his dinner out of the oven. He devours the steaming hot roast lamb and vegetables in record time, not realising just how hungry he’d been.

Depositing his empty plate in the dishwasher, he flicks it on before returning to Rey in the living room.

She’s still planted on the couch, her eyes gazing off somewhere in the distance.

**_What she thinking about?_ **

‘I’m just about to put her down’ Rey says as he enters. ‘She’s been so grizzly today – another nap before bed can’t hurt’

Hope’s eyes are closing as Rey continues patting her back, standing from the couch.

She leans up to kiss her husband, smelling his cologne as she plants her lips briefly on his.

Rey notices for the 5th time since he arrived just how _handsome_ Ben is looking in his suit.

That’s not to say she didn’t notice this morning, but Hope was cranky and Ben had to get to work, so she hadn’t bothered to start anything.

But this suit is definitely one of her favourites – a dark blue jacket and pants with an almost lavender shirt and deep blue tie.

His hair is slightly longer these days, sitting just above his collar, and paired with his 5 o’clock shadow, Rey is ready to jump him right here and now.

She never did tell him about her suit kink…

‘I’ll put her down’ Ben offers, grabbing Hope in his arms.

‘You’ve had her all day’

He carries her upstairs to the crib in the spare bedroom - although it’s pretty much just a nursery these days.

Ben looks around appreciatively before placing Hope down with a kiss, knowing his Dad had created this special room at his place just for his daughter.

Rey follows Ben up the stairs, admiring his perfect ass in those tight suit pants, the way the fabric stretches over his beautiful butt cheeks with each step.

She leans against the bannister just outside the room, watching him plant a soft kiss on Hope’s forehead before placing her down in the crib.

Ben leans on the side of the crib whispering to his daughter for a while before turning to leave, tiptoeing out of the room.

He smiles as he sees Rey, stepping out to close the door, leaving it only slightly ajar.

Rey seizes the moment, pushing him up against the closed door of his parents’ room before he even has time to think.

Ben stares down at her, taken aback, but he doesn’t have much time to dwell on it before her tongue is in his mouth and all rational thought ceases.

When she finally pulls away to let him breathe, his eyes are wide.

‘I missed you today’ she breathes, reaching up to run a hand through his gorgeous long locks.

‘I can see that’

Rey nods slowly, running her eyes over his suit from top to bottom – her eyes lingering on the bulge underneath his tight pants - and back up to meet his gaze.

‘I missed you, too’

She releases a growl-

-and the thing about Rey is, she _never_ growls.

Ben swallows, his eyes glancing down the stairs. ‘Dad’s….not home I take it?’

‘Out getting a Christmas tree. Said he’d be gone over an hour’

‘He only just left before you arrived’

Ben nods, Rey’s hands slipping under his suit jacket to run over his pecs.

He watches her expectantly, tired after a hard day at work, but if she’s wanting something from him he’ll happily oblige.

He’s Ben Solo-

-and Ben Solo is _never_ too tired for any sort of sexual activity.

Rey reaches behind him to turn the knob and open the door, pushing him back into the room.

Ben steadies himself, grabbing her around the hips.

He looks around with a panicked expression. ‘Uh…parent’s room Rey’

‘ _Not_ a good idea’

‘But…’ she starts, removing his suit jacket and placing it over the back of the chair by the bed ‘…I’m horny’

Ben laughs. ‘Hey, _that_ I don’t mind but…in here?!’

‘We can’t babe’

She pushes him backwards against his parents’ bed and he falls back onto it, propping himself up on his arms.

Rey stares down at him with _that look_ , promptly straddling her husband’s long legs.

She leans down with a whisper. ‘Haven’t you ever fantasised about this? Because I have’

Ben wonders if he’s an idiot or something, because the answer to that question is no.

He’s fantasised about many things, including having sex in pretty much every place imaginable, _except_ here.

‘No. I actually haven’t’

Rey lifts his tie to trail her fingers down over the near-bursting buttons of his shirt, circling her finger around one of them.

‘Well _I have’_

She yanks on the tie wrapping it around her hand to reel herself in, bringing his lips to hers.

They kiss for a long time, Rey’s hand still wrapped around his tie, the other running through his hair.

Ben’s hands venture up under her top to find her breasts and he latches onto one of them.

Rey leans back again to strip off her top, leaving her in just her bra and jeans, dropping her top to the floor.

The bra she’s wearing is one of his favourites – red, lacy and pretty much see-through with a black bow at the bridge between the cups.

He’s suddenly in a hurry to be naked, making a move to remove his tie until Rey grabs his hands, pinning them by his side.

She bites at her lip with a shake of her head. ‘ _No_ ’

Ben stills, a bit confused.

Rey stands to remove her jeans, lowering them to the floor and stepping out of them, her black panties bared to him.

She wishes now she’d bothered to find a matching set of lingerie, but what mother has time to find matching underwear in a basket full of laundry?

You just take whatever’s clean at the time.

She leans down over him now, her breasts practically in his face. ‘Oh, I have a suit kink I never told you about’

**_Suit kink?_ **

A devious grin appears on Ben’s face, his eyebrows raising in surprise.

‘Suit kink, ay?’

‘Exactly _how long_ have you been hiding this from me?’ he asks, placing a kiss in between her breasts, reaching around to undo the clasp at the back of her bra.

He pulls it from her body, throwing it to the floor in front of him.

‘Since the first day you wore one’

Her nipple is begging for his attention and he can’t hold out any longer, taking it into his mouth, sucking hard.

Rey throws her head back with a moan, her legs almost buckling underneath her.

‘Ah’ she groans as he laps at her other nipple, tracing around it with his tongue.

‘ _So good’_

_‘Ben’_

He’s such a tease when it comes to her breasts and if you asked him, he’d say he would happily spend all day laving attention on them if she’d let him.

He reaches for them, engulfing one in each of his hands.

‘How about I make you a deal, _sweet girl’_

Suddenly, Ben's feeling rather kinky himself.

Rey shudders at his deep, rumbling voice and the words falling from his mouth, standing in front of him in only her panties.

She _loves_ to hear him talk this way-

-and it makes her dripping wet.

He continues to strip her, pulling her underwear down to her ankles and she steps out of them, kicking them aside.

She nods, waiting for him to tell her his plan.

Whatever it is, she’ll do it.

And Ben can’t quite explain it, but getting down and dirty in his parents’ room is now turning him on far more than he could’ve imagined.

‘How about…’ he continues, bending down to nudge his nose through her pubic hair, inhaling her scent ‘…if you can get my cock free without your hands, you can have it inside you’

Rey loves a challenge, and they haven’t had time to play around much lately, so she’s totally in.

‘Yow know I’ll be getting it inside me regardless, but ok’

They should have plenty of time before Han comes home, fingers crossed.

‘Challenge accepted’ she replies with a mischievous grin, shoving her hands behind her back.

Ben shuts everything else out of his mind – the fact he’s doing this in his parents’ room, on _their_ bed, the _very_ place he himself was conceived...

He only wants to think of Rey in this moment, so he leans back on the bed intent on watching her every move.

Rey bends down, using her teeth to bite at the clasp around his top button, the scent of him turning her on.

**_Focus Rey._ **

**_You can do this._ **

She attempts it a few times before her mouth starts to hurt.

‘ _Bennn_ ’ she groans, changing it up. ‘I can’t get it’

Ben lets out a chuckle, quite proud of his little idea.

‘Giving up so soon babe? That’s not like you’

She huffs a determined sound, eventually managing to undo the clasp, the top button of his suit pants now undone.

She breathes a sigh of relief, his cock hard under her face - she’s desperate for it and more determined than ever to get that suit fly down.

Gripping the top of the zip between her teeth, she yanks it down, the metal cold against her mouth.

She realises then that there’s still a way to go, although she’s not sure how to get his pants down without her hands.

‘Can you help me?’

Ben grins. ‘Hm, well _I could’_ he says, wiggling his eyebrows at her.

‘Or I could let you do it all by yourself…’

Rey throws her head back with a dramatic groan.

‘Except I’m not that cruel’ he laughs, sitting up.

‘I’ll help with the pants, but my underwear is all yours’

Ben lifts his hips, pulling his suit pants down just enough but leaving them on to cater to her kink, lying back flat on the bed.

Of course he’s wearing his tightest underwear – the Calvin Klein boxer briefs she loves so much.

Rey studies them carefully and it’s then that she figures out an easier way – one he probably hasn’t factored into his little plan.

His cock is rock hard and standing proud now, forcing the waistband of his boxers slightly away from his body.

Just enough.

Rey walks around him and gets up onto the bed.

Crawling over his flat body, she cleverly uses her nose to nudge under the waistband, pushing them down-

-his cock finally springing free.

Ben moans as she crawls over him naked, desperate to get his mouth on her.

Rey stands at the end of the bed, cocking her head to admire her efforts.

‘Clever girl’ he purrs, knowing that she _also_ has a praise kink he loves so much.

Her eyes narrow and she looks about ready to devour him.

Her hungry gaze starts at his face, moving down, down his long body – over his still buttoned shirt, down past his dripping cock, over his long suited legs to his shoes.

He’s still mostly dressed and rather uncomfortable, but if this is what she really wants...

‘Rey?’

‘How wet are you?’

She decides to tease him some more, dipping her fingers in between her legs, swiping at her aching sex.

He watches her like a hawk as she brings her wet fingers up to his view so he can see them glistening.

He licks his lips, desperate for a taste.

‘ _Please_ ’ he all but whimpers, and now she _knows_ she has him right where she wants him.

She obliges, leaning over him to bring her fingers up to his mouth.

He licks his lips again, opening his mouth to suck them clean.

‘ _Fuuuck, I never tire of that taste._ ’

The sight of him sucking her come-covered fingers doubles her eagerness.

‘Sweet girl takes on a _whole_ new meaning every time I get to taste you’

That does it - she needs him inside her right now.

Crawling over, she settles above him, finally able to use her hands again.

She grabs his cock, rubbing the head back and forth over her aching core, throwing her head back at the sensation.

Rey repeats this motion several times, each scrape of his tip against her driving Ben closer to the edge.

‘Baby, you’d better hurry up’ he moans, attempting to thrust up into her.

‘ _If you want another baby_ …’

She does, more than anything, so she wastes no time moving him in line with her entrance, sinking down and burying him to the hilt within her.

Then she gets to work – bouncing up and down and moaning loudly in time with each thrust.

Ben’s loud too – close to coming already.

~~~~~~~~~~

 

Han drops the tree just inside the door, kicking it closed behind him. It catches on a loose branch that’s fallen, leaving it slightly ajar.

He hangs his jacket on the hook inside the door, carrying the tree into the loungeroom and resting it against the mantel.

It’s only November but it’s tradition in the Solo household to put the tree up in the first week of November.

And it was his wife that started this tradition, so he certainly doesn’t want to be the one to break it.

‘Can’t have a tree without decorations’ he mumbles, deciding to just get it over with.

Christmas has never been his favourite holiday, but he’s grinned and beared it over the years, for Ben mostly.

And these days, for little Hope.

He’d do anything for that precious granddaughter of his.

Han and Leia had always wanted a girl of their own, but life simply hadn’t eventuated that way.

But they _did_ have Ben and they were very grateful to even be parents at all, a lot of couples never got that chance.

Deep down he hoped Ben and Rey would produce a hoard of kids – he wanted the family home full to bursting, but he didn’t want to place any unnecessary pressure on them.

And although he and Ben hadn’t gotten on that well in the past, the last few years had been really good, and they’d become closer again.

Having grandkids had definitely helped with that – had made him appreciate how precious life was-

-the loss of his wife having done that as well.

Realising the decorations are upstairs in their bedroom closet, he climbs the stairs begrudgingly, wondering where Rey has gotten to.

He reaches for the handle, suddenly alerted to noises from behind the closed door.

Voices and distinct moaning – male _and_ female.

It’s been a while (too long, in fact) but Han knows those sounds – he still remembers them well enough.

‘ _Yes_ , _baby_ , _yes_ – _come on my cock’_

He quickly pulls his hand back, his face contorting as he hears the words falling from his son’s mouth.

**_You’ve got the entire house, and you choose OUR room?_ **

_I really need to have a word to that son of mine_ he thinks, tiptoeing back the way he came.

He heads into the kitchen for coffee-

- _strong, black coffee_.

 

20 minutes later Ben and Rey emerge, Ben bolting down the stairs and skidding to a stop on the tile floor when he spots his Dad in the kitchen.

He tries to act natural, slowing to a walk while running a nervous hand through his hair.

**_How long has he been there?!_ **

Rey isn’t far behind, checking in on Hope quickly before descending the staircase and busying herself in the living room.

Ben leans up against the counter, pouring a hot cup of coffee of his own.

‘Hey Dad’ he nods at Han, taking an extra-large gulp of his drink.

It goes down a treat, warming his throat from the cold.

‘So did she come on your cock?’

Ben spits his mouthful of hot coffee across the room, his eyes bugging out of his head.

His cheeks flush red and he swallows, no way to hide his immediate embarrassment.

**_He heard that?!_ **

There’s no hole big enough in this world for him to crawl into.

‘Shit Dad’

‘You heard that?!’ he groans, grabbing a cloth from the sink to clean up the mess he’s made.

Ben returns the dirty cloth to the sink and sheepishly sinks down into the chair opposite his father, finally making eye contact.

‘I’m not answering that’

Han just laughs, shaking his head. ‘Good to hear. I don’t actually want you to’

‘Listen kid, I don’t mind _what_ filthy activities you want to do with your wife - just please don’t do them in our room next time’

‘Sorry, Dad. Won’t happen again’

Han continues with a smirk. ‘And sleeping with the company receptionist? I swear that wasn’t in your contract’

Ben rolls his eyes with a groan and a laugh. ‘Well, she is my wife, so there has to be _some_ company perks, right?’

Han raises his glass and clinks it with Bens’. ‘Too right kid’

‘I see you found a tree’ Ben says, nodding his head backwards toward the living room.

‘Yep. A good one too’

‘You’ll help me decorate it before you go? You know I’m hopeless at that stuff’

Ben lets out a little chuckle at his Dad the Christmas Scrooge.

The family had tried to get him to enjoy Christmas over the years, but he had to be pushed to enjoy it – it certainly hadn’t come naturally.

‘Yeah, no worries’ Ben replies, gulping down the remainder of his coffee.

‘Where do you keep the decorations?’

Han gives him a look. ‘Upstairs. In our bedroom closet’

‘Oh, right’ Ben replies sheepishly, rushing to put his cup away in the dishwasher.

‘On it’

He bounds up the stairs to retrieve the box from the closet, making sure the bed is looking just the way they found it before they…defiled it.

Rey finds some Christmas music to assist with their decorating, Ben wishing Hope was awake to join the fun but at least they’d still have the chance to put their own family tree up in a few weeks time.

Rey’s singing along to ‘White Christmas’ at the top of her lungs as Ben grabs the star from the bag – the final addition to make the tree complete.

He motions to Rey, reaching for her hand.

She cocks her head, wondering what he’s up to and he promptly grabs her by the hips, hoisting her up so she can place the star at the very top.

He lowers her gently and holds her a few feet from the ground, kissing her mouth ever so softly.

It lasts a little longer than he expects and he breaks away suddenly, remembering his father is standing close by.

Ben lowers Rey and turns to catch his Dad’s eye.

Han is smiling now, happy memories of he and Leia flooding back-

-back when they were young, and in love.

Rey doesn’t want Han to feel left out so steps around her husband and reaches up on her tiptoes to plant a kiss on her father-in-law’s cheek.

‘Merry Christmas, Mr Solo’

Han puts one shoulder around Rey and the other around Ben, pulling them in close.

‘Merry Christmas kids’

 

~~~~~~~~~~

****

Mid December and it’s the newest Solo family's turn to put up their first family Christmas tree.

Ben waits eagerly for Hope to wake from her nap, busying himself with the tangled mess of Christmas lights.

He always enjoyed Christmas as a kid, but it feels entirely different and a whole new kind of excitement now he has his _own_ family.

As soon as he hears Hope cry, he’s up and racing down the hallway to grab her from her crib.

But he doesn’t lift her out right away.

Her sobbing ceases when she sees him standing at the door and he creeps in with the biggest smile.

‘You're awake angel’ he whispers, nearing the crib.

Her little face lights up as she sees him towering over her.

Ben leans on the side of the crib, staring down at her precious face. 'Did you have a good sleep?'

He pulls back her blankets and lifts her out of the crib, snuggling her close to his body.

She smiles up at him and there’s no mistaking it now.

It’s not wind despite what Rey says - that is _definitely_ a smile.

He walks from the room, bouncing her as he walks down the hallway.

‘It’s our first Christmas together’ he whispers, with his best cute surprised face.

‘Do you want to help Daddy decorate the tree?’

She gargles all sorts of baby talk he can’t understand, his heart overflowing with love for the bundle in his arms.

 _Their_ precious bundle.

Ben enters the loungeroom, lowering Hope into Rey’s arms.

She’s resting on the couch with her feet up listening to Christmas songs, ready for the feeding frenzy to begin.

Hope is a champion feeder these days and although he still loves to watch his daughter feed, today he sets his sights on the important task at hand - tree decorating.

Hope’s happily sucking away, Ben pulling an assortment of tinsel and baubles from the box in front of him.

He’s very particular about his tree decorating – the decorations must be perfectly aligned and colour-co-ordinated, much to Rey’s amusement each and every year.

Ben can hear her laughing to herself as he sorts the coloured baubles into piles and he can practically feel her shaking her head.

Sneaking a little glance over his shoulder, he winks at her and she rolls her eyes.

 

~~~~~~~~~~

Rey has been keeping a secret from Ben.

And although she’s bursting to tell him, she decides that telling him on Christmas Day is the best idea – if only she can hold out until then.

It all started over a month ago when her period was exceptionally late. She’d been a little irregular of late, but this time she felt...different.

She knew this feeling immediately, tracing it back to her first pregnancy.

One particular weekend when Ben was away for work she took the pregnancy test because she couldn’t stand not knowing, chewing her lip nervously while awaiting the results.

And sure enough-

-two little lines appeared, along with a relieved 'yes!'

Rey is thrilled.

Not that the trying part hadn’t been fun, but they’d both been keen for a second child and now it was happening.

She planned to tell Ben the minute he got home the following day but looking at the calendar she quickly realised she could give him the best Christmas gift ever if only she could hold out a few more weeks. So she decided to keep it to herself for now.

Well not exactly to herself – she called Rose right away, but she’d sworn not to tell a soul and she trusted her to do just that.

Shortly after, Rey noticed she was showing already, her tummy puffing out a lot earlier this time around, enough to be noticeable to anyone who saw her naked regularly – aka Ben.

‘I'm so fat’ she groaned into the bedroom mirror one morning while Ben was in the shower with the water full blast.

**_How do I hide this?_ **

**_We can’t have sex or he’ll notice._ **

**_Maybe I could say I’m bloated?_ **

**_He probably won’t know the difference._ **

Sure enough, Ben chooses that very morning to be amarous, not needing to be at the office at his usual early hour.

He emerges from the bathroom completely naked and half wet.

Rey notices his hard-on right away - it’s kinda hard to miss when his cock is so humongous.

She does love that monster cock of his.

Rey’s still in her nightie in front of the mirror as he walks around behind her and cages her in with his strong arms.

She can feel the dampness creeping through from him as he presses into her.

He’s nuzzling at her neck and groaning in her ear and she suddenly wants him – really badly.

 _To hell with her secret_.

**_Do it doggy-style and he won’t even give your stomach a second thought._ **

She cocks her head, allowing him to nestle in the crook of her neck. ‘Need me to take care of that?’ she purrs, reaching around to tease his length with her delicate fingers.

Ben releases a hungry growl.

‘Mm, yes please’

She nods, and he pulls away, sitting on the bed and pulling her over him.

But she panics and clambers right over the top of him, crawling on the bed on her hands and knees.

‘I need you to fuck me hard, babe’ she almost demands.

‘Doggy style’

Ben doesn’t need to be told twice - that’s music to his ears and it’s also the perfect cover for Rey.

Except the first thing he does as he attempts to push inside her is wrap his large hands around her stomach.

Rey attempts to suck in her stomach as much as she can, but it’s useless.

She’s not as relaxed as she normally would be, desperately worried about him discovering her secret.

‘One sec, babe’ he says, pulling out and reaching into the bedside drawer for lube.

He smears the liquid onto his fingers, rubbing it over his hands before returning behind her.

She can feel the coolness between her legs, but it does nothing to relieve the tension or to relax her so she’s ready for him.

Ben attempts to push a finger inside to warm her up, but he groans and pulls back again, leaning over her shoulder.

‘You ok, babe? You’re a little tighter than normal’

He makes another attempt, still talking to her. ‘I can’t even…get two fingers into you’

‘Try and relax sweetheart’

But she can’t.

She can’t get it off her mind enough to focus on him and she’s petrified she’ll spoil everything.

‘I’m sorry babe, I…’

He moves from behind to lie down next to her, propping himself up on his arm.

She falls to the side facing him, her hand instinctively moving to cover her stomach.

Ben has a confused look on his face - glancing from her stomach to her eyes and back again.

He cocks his head in thought and opens his mouth to speak.

Rey is petrified of what’s going to come out of his mouth.

If he asks, she won’t lie.

She can’t.

She can lie by omission, but she’d never lie if he asked her something outright.

**_pleasedontask pleasedontask pleasedontask_ **

‘Did I hurt you?’ he asks, his face contorted with worry.

‘No, no’ she says, pulling him closer. ‘Not at all. I just…’

She hangs her head. ‘I just…can’t relax enough. I’m sorry’

He pulls her in for a hug, nuzzling his nose into her hair.

‘That’s ok, these things happen’

She lifts her head to smile at him, noticing his half hard cock sinking down in defeat.

‘Let me’ she says, lifting it with her hand, rubbing it back and forth to get him hard again.

‘You don’t have to…’

But she wants to make it up to him – needs to.

‘But I want to’ she says, pushing him back down onto the bed, her hand movements speeding up as his length hardens again beneath her touch.

She works him hard and fast, desperate to get his mind of her earlier misfortune.

Ben lies back on the bed, his chest heaving with each breath, Rey working him as hard as she can with her tiny hand.

His eyes close at one stage and she uses her free hand to massage his soft sac, combining the two actions to send him quickly to the edge.

She decides at the last minute not to let his precious seed go to waste, bending down to suck at the head as he comes into her mouth, the warm stickiness tasting as good as it always does.

She rears back once he’s done, admiring Ben's massive frame on the bed.

Running her fingers down the little strip of hair below his navel she thinks out loud.

‘How did I ever get so lucky?’

Ben catches his breath, smiling back at her. ‘You’re kidding, right? I think you mean how did _I_ get so lucky?’

And then he reaches for her stomach again, splaying his large hands over the entirety of it.

Rey’s breath hitches, and she waits to see what he’s going to do.

He gives both hands a gentle squeeze. ‘I’m gonna put another baby in you…you just wait’

She leans down to cuddle him - safe in his strong, secure arms.

**_Oh, but you already have._ **

 

~~~~~~~~~~

 

It’s Christmas morning in the Solo family household-

-their first Christmas just the three of them.

Technically it's the _four_ of them – but Ben doesn’t know that yet.

Rey is up early, waking with a huge smile on her face, Ben still fast asleep.

The day has finally come and she’s super excited to reveal the secret she’s been hiding from her husband for weeks on end.

Little does she know Ben has a cheeky little plan all his own.

She slips out of bed and steals a quick shower, throwing on her robe and slippers.

It’s a crisp, cool morning outside the kitchen window and Rey sets her mind to breakfast.

She wants to make Ben his own special Christmas breakfast, so they can start a Christmas tradition all their own.

She’s hovering over the stove flipping pancakes when she hears her husband’s heavy footsteps approaching.

Rey turns toward him, placing both her hands over her mouth and bursting into a fit of giggles.

Here he is - her tall, dark and handsome husband – dressed in a cheeky little Christmas outfit, one a tad too small for his massive frame.

His outfit consists of a too-tight pair of red velour boxer shorts with black waistband and fake belt buckle, sexy bare chest and matching Santa hat, complete with white pompom.

‘Ho Ho Ho’ he quietly bellows, aware his daughter is likely still asleep.

At least, he hopes she is - this won’t be half as much fun if she wakes up before he’s done.

He sits on the bar stool at the kitchen counter, beckoning Rey with his finger in a _come-hither_ motion, his dark eyes narrowing.

She ensures the pan is turned off – luckily the pancakes had finished cooking anyway – sauntering over to him with her sexiest walk.

‘Come and sit on Santa’s knee, little lady’ he says in his sexiest Santa voice.

She stifles another giggle but does her best to remain serious as he really hasn’t even flinched, staying entirely in character so far.

But god almighty, the sight of him is enough to make her wet.

The fact that he would embarrass himself like this just for her is a massive turn on – and one she never knew she needed - until now.

He lifts her gently and she perches on his knees, tilting her face to look him in the eye.

She sees that he’s about to smile but he stops himself, remaining resolute.

‘Now’ he starts, running his hand over her bare thigh, peeking out from the split in her robe. ‘Santa only gives gifts to good little girls’ and boys’

‘Have you been a good girl?’ he asks, his hand dangerously close to where she wants it.

She nods.

‘Say it’

‘Have you been a good girl?’

She nods, answering this time. ‘Yes Santa, I have’

He cocks his head at her response. ‘Is that entirely true?’

‘You wouldn’t lie to me, would you?’

She’s almost blushing, the entire scenario turning her on so much.

‘No Santa’ she reiterates again, reaching up to run a finger down the middle of his bare chest.

‘I wouldn’t lie to you’

‘But then again, it depends what you call a good girl?’

Ben takes a deep breath, his chest rising under her touch.

She continues running her finger up and down his ripped chest, circling his nipples with both her fingers, still perched high on his lap.

‘You see…some might say…I’ve been a very _bad girl_ ’ she purrs, his breathing becoming more rapid.

His nipples are hard now, reacting to her gentle touch.

‘Oh, you have, have you?’ he asks, untying her robe at the front with his free hand.

‘Well, do you know what happens to very… _bad…girls_?’

She shakes her head, chewing on her bottom lip, hoping she knows what’s coming next.

‘They get their own _special kind_ of present’

Rey gulps, feeling his large finger creep under the fabric of her underwear.

There’s a surprise waiting there that she hoped he wouldn't see until later tonight, but he was about to find it.

His finger moves quickly over the…smooth expanse of skin where her hair used to be-

-and he finally breaks character.

‘Fuuucck’

‘Did you do this for me?’ he asks, sticking his whole hand in her underwear to feel her smooth skin.

‘All for you’

‘Well, looks like Santa got a little surprise all his own’ he says, moving his index finger down her slit, making her writhe at the initial touch.

'Shit babe. I've never felt your bare pussy...'

'Fuckin hell' 

Damn she loves it when he swears in this way.

She spreads her legs to give him better access, but he pulls away.

‘B _efore_ bad girls get their special present, they need to ask nicely for what they want’

Rey blushes.

She’s not sure why she’s blushing exactly – this is her _husband_ , after all.

She’s done everything imaginable with this man, but this little _roleplay_ is making her feel things she never has before.

A small growl escapes her mouth and Ben breaks character again only briefly, the corners of his lips beginning to curl into a devious grin.

‘ _Say it_ ’ he whispers, blowing over the shell of her ear before pulling away.

‘Touch me, Ben. Please’ she begs, the desperation in her voice all too evident.

But he’s intent on making her say it.

‘Who’s this Ben you speak of?’ he says with a wink.

Rey cracks up again, not sure at all how Ben keeps holding it together – he could truly be an actor the way he can control his facial expressions.

She on the other hand could not.

His fingers are poking at her entrance and she’s desperate for more.

‘Eat me out, Santa. _Now_ ’ she whimpers.

That does it for Ben, he throws the Santa hat off and it lies discarded on the kitchen counter.

He hoists her up and wastes no time, stripping her underwear at lightning speed and burying his face between her legs like a starved man.

He flings one leg over each shoulder, devouring her until she’s writhing under him and begging to come.

‘ _Please, please’_

‘ _Oh god_ ’

Rey immediately regrets uttering those exact words on Christmas morning, but it’s done now.

'Fuck babe. I can see all of you now'

'I do love my little present. Thank you'

Ben doesn’t let up – his mouth and tongue lapping at her until she can’t take it anymore.

She comes all over his face, Ben moaning and groaning a string of muffled noises.

She looks down to see him licking his lips and wiping his chin.

He stands and looks down at her with a satisfied smirk. ‘Well, I don’t need breakfast. I just ate’

She pulls him down for a kiss, not caring that she can taste herself all over his mouth.

Rey can only smile. ‘Well, I don’t need any more presents because I just got the best one-

-ok, maybe second best’

Ben’s eyes narrow and he shrugs, no idea what she’s getting at.

She gives him a little wink and reaches up to pat him on the head. ‘You’ll see husband’

They dress fully and eat their now traditional Christmas breakfast of pancakes with berries and maple syrup, the three of them sitting at the dining table, Hope bouncing on Ben’s knee.

Ben feeds Hope (now 9 months) in between picking at his own food, making plane noises and zooming her tiny spoon up and down and round and round, much to his daughter’s amusement.

‘Oh! Here comes the plane baby girl’ he says in his deep husky voice, making surprised faces and grinning like a child himself.

'Open up!'

It pulls an adorable giggle from her each time and so he does it over and over, the smile on his face saying it all.

Rey sits and watches, blissfully happy.

She could honestly watch Ben feed Hope mushy food all day, every day – it’s the most adorable thing.

Unfortunately the diapers that follow aren't so adorable.

After breakfast and Hope’s first change of the day, it’s time for presents.

Rey stands back and looks at the corner of the living room. Ben has outdone himself this year – presents galore filling the base of their relatively small Christmas tree.

It seemed every time he’d go out to work, he’d come home with at least one more present.

‘Ben’ she’d said on more than one occasion. ‘You need to stop spoiling her’

He’d just smile and say ‘She’s only young once, Rey. I want her to have everything’

He had a well-paying job and a daughter he loved more than life itself, so she could never be too angry with him.

Hope is far too young to open the presents herself so they all sit around the base of the tree, Rey and Ben taking turns to open each present, Hope happy playing with the discarded wrapping paper.

Ben and Rey are cuddling near the crackling fire, Hope happily rolling back and forth on her mat when they hear it-

‘Da-da’

Ben’s head shoots up and his mouth drops open as he turns to Rey. ‘Did she just say?’

Rey makes a face and he pulls her in for a cuddle. ‘Aww babe, I’m sorry’

She shucks him off, pretending she’s more upset than she actually is.

‘Hopefully our next child’s first words will be Ma-ma' he shrugs with a laugh.

Rey pokes her tongue out at him and Ben cups his hand behind her head, pulling her in for a kiss.

She melts.

Her husband has this uncanny way of just making her putty in his hands-

-and for as long as she can remember, it’s _always_ been that way.

Hope’s eyes are closing and it’s time for her nap. Ben places her down, returning with something behind his back.

Rey has relocated to the couch, legs tucked up, hot chocolate in hand.

Ben takes a seat next to her, pulling a tiny box from behind his back.

‘Yes I’ll marry you’ she blurts in a fit of giggles.

He chuckles, shaking his head. ‘Babe, as much fun as it would be to turn back time and relive that moment again, this isn’t a ring’

‘Oooh’ she purrs, moving in closer, legs crossed in front of her. ‘What is it?’

‘Open it and find out’ he says, handing her the tiny box.

She runs her hand over the velvety lid, the blue hue changing tone as her fingers brush the top, propping it open ever so slowly.

Inside is a shiny white gold necklace with a little heart attached, imprinted with tiny diamonds.

She sucks in a breath at the delicate jewellery, opening the heart to reveal two tiny photos - Ben on one side, Hope on the other.

‘So you can always carry us with you wherever you go’

Rey reaches in, pulling him into a tight hug. ‘Thankyou baby’ she breathes in his ear.

‘It’s absolutely beautiful. I love it!’

She pulls away from the hug, thinking now might be the best time to tell him her news.

‘Now, can I give you your present?!’

‘Not just yet. There’s something else’

Ben pulls an envelope out of his pocket, handing it to her.

Rey rips it open, bursting to see what it is so she can tell him her news.

It’s a voucher…for a 2-night romantic getaway at her favourite Air BnB on the coast.

‘Oh my god! You remembered’ she cries, wrapping her arms around his neck.

‘How could I forget?’

He’d sprung her drooling over this place several times, and now she’d finally get to go.

‘It’s all organised. Dad will take Hope and we can go whenever you like’

‘Thank you, thank you, thank you’ she says, planting kisses all over his face and neck until he’s squirming.

‘No worries beautiful. You deserve the break – we both do’

‘Can’t wait’ she says with a wink, trailing her hand down his arm affectionately.

‘Now…can I give you MY present?!’

‘Go ahead' 'But you didn’t have to get me anything…’ he starts before she grabs his hand, moving it to her stomach.

‘Well technically, I didn't buy you anything...’

Rey lifts her top, resting his hand across the bare skin just below her belly-button.

Ben freezes and blinks expectantly.

‘Little peanut' Rey whispers 'Say hello to your Daddy’

It’s completely silent in the room, the Christmas CD has played its last song, their breathing the only sound.

Ben’s eyes focus on her tummy briefly before rising to meet her gaze again.

A wash of realisation crosses his face, followed by his gorgeous smile.

‘No way’

Rey nods eagerly, holding his hand there and smiling back at him.

‘Well, fuck me’ he breathes, shock and awe evident in his voice.

‘Well, I kinda did that already so...' 

Ben lifts her top further up, peppering her stomach with kisses, running his hand over her tiny bump.

‘Hello little one’ he whispers into her skin. ‘Your mummy’s been keeping you a secret from me’

He lifts his head to look at her and she suddenly feels ashamed. ‘I’m so sorry! I just wanted it to be a surprise and…’

A large finger comes to rest on her lips. ‘Babe, I’m not angry’

‘This is seriously the best Christmas present I could ask for’

He sits back and pulls her into his lap, his large arms encircling her, his breath in her ear.

‘How long have you known?’

Rey lets out the breath she’s been holding. ‘Just a few weeks’

‘A few weeks? Wow’

‘You did well to keep it a secret that long’

‘I wouldn’t normally. I wanted you to be there, but you were away and…’

He wraps her tightly in a hug. ‘It’s ok babe, really’

‘This was a pretty great way to find out’

‘Now’ he starts, moving to push her gently down into the couch, crawling over her. ‘We should totally make the most of Hope being asleep right now, don’t you agree?’

'Mm, count me in’

He descends on her, holding himself just off her stomach. He attacks the shell of her ear with kisses, continuing down her neck to her collarabone and across, muttering into her skin.

‘Our poor children are going to be traumatised when it comes to sex, being exposed so early in life’

Rey giggles as he returns to her after stripping his sweater and shirt, wrapping her arms around her big strong husband.

‘Ben’ she groans with a giggle. ‘Not that again’

Christmas sex is great.

Ben takes it slow initially, peppering her entire body with kisses, worshipping his wife and her pregnant body.

‘ _How many weeks are you - do you think_?’ he asks in between deep thrusts, his damp hair hanging from his face.

‘ _Ah_ ’ Rey struggles to think as he speeds up, pounding into her now.

‘ _Maybe 2 months - or so_ ’

‘ _Fuck, you feel – so good – so tight’_

It’s perfect and beautiful and they’re done with plenty of time to enjoy a bite to eat and a cuppa before Hope wakes.

Dinner is spent at Han’s with more food and fun – Han following Ben’s lead and showering his granddaughter with presents.

Ben can hardly hold in the news, spilling to Han about the baby as soon as there’s a lull in conversation.

Han’s thrilled of course, and Rey would swear she catches a glimpse of a tear in his eye.

Toward the end of the night Ben and Han are sitting on the couch flicking through old photo albums, Hope perched on Han’s knee.

Ben points out Leia in one of the photos. 'And this, baby girl, is your Grandma Leia'

He tickles her stomach affectionately, making her smile. 'And she loved you so much'

Rey grabs her phone from her handbag and creeps into position quietly, snapping a few candid shots of the three of them.

She wishes Leia could be here so she could share in their baby news but she knows she’s watching over them from above.

Rey is secretly hoping for a boy this time, and she has a feeling Ben is too.

 

~~~~~~~~~~

**2 weeks later**

‘Ben’

‘Ben?’

He’s finally coming to, his head still a little fuzzy.

It’s then he opens his eyes, unsure how he ended up on the floor with a nurse waving her hand in front of his face.

The Dr helps him sit up and find his bearings, eventually pulling him to his feet.

‘You fainted, but you're ok'

‘And you’ll be relieved to know this isn’t the first time this has happened in here’

Ben remembers where he is now, shakily taking a seat in the tiny chair.

He’s in the ultrasound room at the hospital.

Rey is on the bed, a nurse and now a Doctor in the room with them.

That part he remembers - but he’s dearly hoping the other part he remembers was just a dream.

Ben glances at Rey on the bed next to him, then to the Dr and nurse, then back to Rey.

He rubs the back of his head absentmindindly, a bump already forming. 'You said...uh'

‘You did say…’

He can't quite bring himself to finish the sentence.

He looks at Rey then. She looks like a deer caught in the headlights.

She nods ever so slowly and it hits him then that this is _no_ dream.

‘Yes Ben...’

Rey emphasises the final word, so he knows there’s no mistake, the Doctor and nurse nodding along with his wife.

‘ _...three_ ’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, well.  
> Happy New Year to Ben & Rey!!  
> xx


	6. In a New York minute

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A special engagement flashback for our favourite couple, to celebrate the New Year!

_December 17_ th \- New York City  
 

Ben knows he has to put a ring on it.

How often in life do you find, in one woman, both your best friend and the love of your life??

His answer? Hardly ever.

It’s rare, and when it comes along, you damn well hold onto it.

It’s Rey for him.

And if he was completely honest with himself, he’d known it for a while.

Their relationship had begun in middle school and they’d recently celebrated their 7th anniversary together.

But now that they’ve graduated, Ben sets his mind on the future.

They may be young, but they’re in love. And people used to get married young all the time.

The two of them have discussed their plans several times now – apartment, marriage, kids - the whole catastrophe.

They want it all - and most importantly, they want it _together_.

He knew there was never going to be another woman this special in his life – you know, one that isn’t his own mother - and he has the chance to make this woman his wife.

**_What are you waiting for?_ **

He pushes open the door of the fanciest jewellery store in the city, a small bell dinging above his head.

Ben loves these little stores.

The kind of store that’s immaculately kept and looks like it’s been around for a hundred years – a family run business.

An older lady approaches him with a beaming smile.

Maybe she’s wondering how a 21 year-old lad like himself would even have the money to buy anything in here?

Two words – Mom and Dad.

Ben doesn’t like to flaunt his money, but there _is_ money in the Solo family and his parents have been more than generous with theirs over the years, Ben being their only child.

And thankfully his parents approve of his marriage and want the best for him, so they’ve insisted on shelling out the cash for the ring, telling him to ‘ _save your money for the kids, trust me boy you’ll need it!_ ’

So, he finds himself here.

‘Hi’ he says with a friendly smile as he approaches the counter. ‘I’m hoping you can help me?’

The lady smiles again, crossing her hands on the counter in front of her. ‘Well, if it’s quality jewellery you’re after, then we can definitely help you’

**_Sweet._ **

‘Uh, I’m actually after an engagement ring. Can you show me your range?’

‘Certainly’ is her response, as she heads to the corner of the store, directing Ben to the brightly lit cabinets - the inside of each covered with a bright blue fabric to make the diamonds pop.

**_Shit._ **

**_So many to choose from._ **

He has no idea how he’s meant to choose anything from the 60 or so rings currently staring him in the face, the lady obviously recognising his distress.

‘I know it can be daunting but typically most men choose white gold these days, if that helps at all?’

It doesn’t, but it should hopefully limit his choices somewhat, so he’s grateful for that at least.

And he knows Rey will be happy to have a ring at all – that’s just the kind of woman she is.

Ben’s mouth contorts, the way it does when he’s considering something carefully.

He asks to see a few different rings, but they either don’t look or sound right and frankly, they just aren’t what he’s looking for.

The woman has been very patient, explaining each ring in detail and answering all his questions.

He bends over the cabinet one final time to study the rings at closer range, one particular ring near the back catching his eye.

He must’ve missed it the first 10 times.

‘That one there’ he says, pointing it out in the hope she can tell which one out of the multitude he’s _actually_ pointing at this time.

‘Second row from the back’

She follows his pointing finger, moving her hand across a little more each time he says ‘next one, next one’

She seems pleased when he finally says ‘yep, that one’, pulling it from its stand to present it carefully to him on gloved hand.

He takes it and holds it up to study it carefully, the bright stones glimmering under the shop lights as she begins to reel of the features.

Ben does his best to listen to everything she’s telling him in case this is the ring he ends up choosing and Rey asks him how many carats it is, or something.

‘This is a popular choice’ she starts, but she’s said something similar for every ring he’s looked at so far.

Ben wonders if maybe she says that about _every_ ring.

‘It’s an 18K Natural Sapphire Princess Cut, in white gold’

Ben knows if he buys this ring, he’ll have to remember to ask her to write that down.

She’s saying all the right words – the ones that make him think of his future wife.

_Sapphire Gold Princess_

Ben loves the look and feel of this ring, in a way he didn’t with the others, and he thinks Rey will too.

Then he realises there aren’t any prices that he can see – this could be well out of his range anyway.

‘It’s really beautiful’

‘How much is it?’

She takes the ring from him, returning it to the cabinet. ‘I’m not sure what your budget is, but let’s see…’

She removes her glove and pulls a glossy catalogue from underneath the counter, placing it in front of him and flipping through the pages, glancing back to the cabinet once or twice, then back to the catalogue.

‘This one is…’

He waits with bated breath, hoping it will be within his parents’ more than generous price range.

If not, he’ll just have to choose something else.

‘$3,953’

Ben breathes a sigh of relief.

So, it’s settled – this is the ring he’ll give Rey when he asks her to marry him on New Year's Eve as the clock strikes midnight.

Some might say this is relatively cheap for an engagement ring, but not to Ben.

For two reasons.

One - you can’t put a price on love.

And two - he’d always planned to fork out more for the wedding bands themselves than the engagement ring.

‘Great. I’ll take it’

‘No problem. Now, we’ll need to know your girlfriend’s ring size’

He’s already onto that, pulling the ring Rose gave her from his pocket and handing it over.

He’s borrowed it from Rey’s jewellery box and he only hopes he can get it back there before she notices.

The lady nods politely and taps into the computer to place the order.

Ben browses the mens’ wedding bands while he waits, wondering what kind of wedding band he’d like for himself.

It’s something he’ll be wearing every day, so he’ll want to make sure he’s happy with it.

Not that he wants to pick it out today anyway – he’ll bring Rey back for that and they can choose their bands together.

‘The ring will be ready to collect in roughly 2 weeks, on December 30th. Is that ok?’

**_Phew._ **

Ben nods. ‘That’s perfect, actually’

The woman smiles and returns Rey’s ring to him.

He pulls his parents’ credit card from his wallet, tapping it nervously on the counter top.

‘Now I just have to hope she says yes’ Ben laughs.

She cocks her head at him with a happy sigh. ‘I’m sure she will. I have no doubt she’s a very lucky lady’

 ** _I like to think so_**.

He offers her the card and she processes the sale.

He tucks his wallet into his back pocket. ‘Thanks so much for all your help. There’s no way I could have done this without you’

He turns to leave. ‘Oh, and we’ll be back to get our wedding bands…if she says yes, that is’

‘I look forward to it’ she says as she waves goodbye, calling out ‘good luck’ behind him.

He steps out into the cool New York air, somewhat certain of the future that awaits him.

 

~~~~~~~~~~

 

‘It’s been 7 years, Rey! Is he _ever_ gonna ask you to marry him?!’

Rey shrugs, laughing at Rose as she attempts to hurl the ball down the lane.

This conversation has only come up because of the music clip playing on the TV above their heads, some trashy wedding playing out on the video.

Rose lifts the ball high – a little too high, once again – dropping it with a thud on the wooden boards.

Rey cringes every time she does it. She’s tried to show her how to drop it correctly, but Rose insists on doing it her way.

‘But you’ve thought about it though, right?’

Rey has to laugh at that, thinking about the stack of bridal magazines under the bed that she’s kept hidden from Ben for years.

She doesn’t want him to feel rushed into it – she wants him to ask her when _he’s_ ready, because then she’ll know he means it.

‘Of course I have. But I’m in no rush…he’ll ask me when he’s ready’

‘Can I be your bridesmaid? I mean, when it does happen?’ Rose’s eyes light up as she speaks.

No doubt she’s been planning Rey’s wedding in her own head already.

‘Bridesmaid? Are you for real?’

Rose looks confused, pouting at Rey.

‘You’ll be my maid of honour dummy. You’re my best friend’

Rose screws up her face, surprising Rey. ‘Maid? Makes me sound like I should be working in the cellar of a 1920’s mansion’

Rey rolls her eyes.

‘Can I be something cooler like…’ Rose ponders it for a moment, before coming up with a few possible options.

‘Like maybe…best woman? Or, best lady?!’

Rey screws up her face. ‘Best lady? As opposed to what? Worst lady?!’

They’re both laughing now and once they start, they usually can’t stop.

‘Where do you even come up with this stuff?’

Rose continues between bowls, spouting a heap of possible names she’s thinking up as she goes.

‘Lady of love?’

Rey nearly spits out her soft drink at this one.

‘No wait! I’ve got it, I’ve got it!’

Rey waits but she can’t stop laughing, so much so her sides are beginning to hurt and she needs to pee.

‘Dazzling dame!’

Rose bends over, slapping her hand on her knee as she completely loses it.

And Rey does too, crossing her legs to stop herself peeing her pants.

‘Stop! Please! I need to pee!’

Rey rushes off to the loo and Rose eventually calms down enough to finish her turn before Rey gets back.

She rolls her eyes at Rose as she sits, trying not to start laughing again, Rey’s turn to bowl next.

A strike – her second for the night. She’s on a roll.

‘You’re always so good at this! How?’

Rey laughs. ‘Well, I don’t really bowl much so maybe…just lucky, I guess’

‘I hate you’ Rose gets up to take her next bowl, poking her tongue out.

‘Last one. Make it count’

And she does – with another gutter ball. ‘Gah! I suck at this!’

‘Let’s go get ice-cream’

 

~~~~~~~~~~

 

 _December 30_ th  


Ben’s wondering where the best place to hide an engagement ring is.

Maybe he could drop it at his parents and pick it up tomorrow?

Or he could hide it somewhere in their apartment, but what if she finds it?

He stands in the living room scanning all around him, scratching his head in the process, when his phone pings.

_Hey babe. On our way. And we have ice-cream *winky face* Love you x_

**_Shit._ **

He’s seriously running out of time, the bowling alley only 10 minutes away.

**_Think Ben._ **

‘Where do I hide my engagement ring until tomorrow?’

‘Engagement ring?! You’re finally proposing?!’

‘Congratulations!’

‘Thanks Mom’ Ben props his cellphone between his ear and shoulder, prying open the tiny box for another peek.

Inside, the ring is safely cushioned on a silky white fabric - the outside of the box a beautiful blue to match the décor of the store he bought it from.

Rey and Rose are probably 5 minutes away and he still hasn’t found a decent hiding spot.

His mother isn’t any help in the end either, so he shoves the ring box to the very back of his sock drawer, checking the clothes basket first to make sure there’s no clean socks Rey might suddenly get the urge to put away.

Rey and Rose arrive with ice-cream and Ben’s stretched out on the couch playing Crash Bandicoot.

‘How’d you go?’ he asks, as they come through the door babbling away to each other.

‘Rey won, again’ Rose groans, dumping her bag and plonking to the floor by the couch.

Rey lays herself on top of Ben, planting a kiss on his lips and turning to Rose. ‘Well I’m sorry I’m actually good at something’

‘Babe, that’s not true’ Ben says, Rey looking back at him. ‘You’re good at _a lot_ of things’

He wiggles his eyebrows at her and Rey blushes.

‘Ugh, get a room you two. You know I’m single, and now you’re just rubbing it in’

Rey is sure she only means it as a joke, but she rolls off Ben and onto the floor, picking up the remote to flick to the TV.

‘Hey!’

Rey throws her head back and groans. ‘But Desperate Housewives is on tomorrow and I’ve missed the last two episodes! I need to catch up’

Ben makes an ugly scoffing sound. He hates that show, but Rey and Rose love it.

‘Lemme finish this game first’

‘Well, you’re about to get crushed by...’

‘Hey. My game, I’ll play it _my_ way’

‘Fine, Mr Grumpy’ Rose says, rolling her eyes and laughing. ‘You take this game stuff super seriously, don’t you?’

Ben nods and resumes his game face, swerving to miss the oncoming barrel.

‘As a matter of fact I do’

Rose tries to bite her tongue through the rest of the game, Rey giggling every time Ben gets mad at her for telling him what to do.

He seems a little on edge tonight, and she’s not sure why.

‘Ok girls, all yours. I’m gonna go take a shower’

Ben places the controller on the coffee table, leaning down to plant a kiss on Rey’s head.

‘Enjoy your show’ he waves over his shoulder, heading down the hall.

‘Yesss’ Rose steals the remote and flicks through until they find the re-runs, hitting play on their last episode and leaning back against the couch.

Rey scoots up to join her as the episode begins.

‘Ben seems a little on edge tonight? Is he ok?’

Rey’s not sure exactly. ‘I think so. I’ll ask him later’

‘Maybe he just needs to get laid?’

Rey slaps her on the arm. ‘Hey! That is _not_ true. We only did it last night anyway’

‘Now shut up so I can watch this, will you?’

Rose giggles. She’s such a terror, teasing Rey (and Ben) at every opportunity.

She’s been Rey’s bestie forever though, and she really wouldn’t have it any other way.

The episode ends, and Rose decides to call it a night. ‘Say bye to Ben for me, got an early start tomorrow’

She grabs her bag and heads for the door.

‘Will we see you at the fireworks tomorrow night?’

Ben told her they’d head over the river to watch them from there – she has no idea where he’s actually planning to take her.

‘You’ll see me before then, Rey, remember?’

Oh yeah. Rey does remember now.

‘Although, I’m not sure if I’ll be watching the fireworks in the Square or over the river…’

Rey holds the door open for Rose.

‘Regardless, hopefully I can find some random guy to kiss at the strike of midnight!’

‘God knows there won’t be anything else exciting happening’

Rey rolls her eyes and gives her friend a hug, closing the door behind her.

It’s a cool night and her feet are freezing, so she heads to the laundry to find a clean pair of socks, Ben still in the shower.

Rey wonders what’s taking him so long.

Then she figures he’s probably washing his hair and using up all her expensive Bumble & Bumble products in the process.

But one of the best things about him is his hair, so she lets him get away with it.

She searches through the basket, digging her hands right to the bottom but after a good look, she only comes up with one, lonely sock.

She figures she might have accidentally put it in Ben’s pile and it’s ended up in his drawer, so she heads to their room.

Rey bends down and tugs on the handle of Ben’s sock drawer.

Their bedside tables definitely need replacing – the old drawers always getting stuck.

‘Freeze!’

She can tell Ben’s serious voice, and this is it.

She whirls around to see him standing there, towel around his waist and another in his hand drying his hair.

‘Don’t move a muscle’

Rey does as she’s told, putting her hands up defensively.

Ben laughs. ‘Babe, you’re not under arrest. Although…’

He stalks closer, looping his arms around her waist and pulling her in close. ‘…that could be kinda fun’

Rey leans up to kiss him. ‘Mm, we really should try that one day…’

‘I was just looking for my lost sock. I think it might have ended up in your drawer’

‘I don’t think so’

‘But…how do you know if you don’t let me look? My toes are SO col-‘

‘You’re not gonna need your socks for what I have in mind’

‘In fact…’ he says, pulling back to drop his towel and manouver her around toward the bed, Rey falling back onto it ‘…I have a feeling you’ll forget _all about_ that missing sock soon enough’

Ben knows he needs a distraction, and fast. He lifts her top and kisses his way down her chest, Rey wriggling underneath him.

‘Ben I-‘

He’s already undoing the button of her jeans and she could fight him, or she could just accept the inevitable, being that she now wants it too.

Rey sighs and lays her head back down as Ben slides off her jeans and underwear.

And as luck would have it, she forgets all about the missing sock, the two of them cuddling in bed afterwards until they fall asleep.  


~~~~~~~~~~

__December 31 st _ _

  
‘Happy New Year’s Eve baby’ Rey whispers in Ben’s ear, leaning in to cuddle him.

It’s 6.24 am and Rey is wide awake.

Ben stirs from his slumber, pulling her into his side and nuzzling his nose into her hair.

‘Mm. Happy NYE babe’

He lifts her head for a kiss. ‘So, any plans for the last day of the year?’

‘Anything you’ve been wanting to do all year that you haven’t got around to yet?’

Rey snuggles into his chest with a sigh. ‘I always said I wanted to go to the fireworks in Times Sq-‘

Ben is screwing his face up, the way he always does when she mentions this.

It’s the same every year.

‘I know. I know. Too many people and blah, blah. But Ben…’ she says, kissing the shell of his ear softly, and moving to bite the lobe gently with her teeth ‘…just tell me we can go _one year_. Just _one_ ’

‘ _Pleeease_ ’

‘Mm hm’

He tucks her hair behind her ear. ‘Yes baby, one day. But not this year, ok?’

‘Hmph. Ok, ok’

Ben hates crowds of people and you can’t beat the amount of people in TS on NYE, but he’s going to put on a brave face for tonight only – and only because it means so much to her.

‘I’m sorry. But, do you still love me?’

She lifts her head to rest it on his chest, purring into his skin. ‘Yes baby. I’ll always love you’

‘Can I have another kiss?’

‘Of course you can’ Ben sits up slightly and Rey straddles his abdomen, leaning down to tease his lips with soft, small kisses, moving across his mouth from side to side.

‘ _I – love – you_ ’ she murmurs in between kisses, Ben catching her lip in his teeth at one pass and pulling on it gently.

Rey pulls back and leans in again, placing more soft kisses along his jaw, and back up to his lips.

Ben loves the rough stuff but with Rey, he could just lay there all day and kiss her.

Teasing little kisses like these are one of the things he loves most about their relationship.

The sex is phenomenal, but to just lay in bed together, with soft touches and kisses – he could happily do that all day every day.

They spend the next two hours in bed enjoying just doing nothing really, before hopping out to shower and freshen up for a late breakfast.

They’ve made their own little NYE tradition over the years – breakfast at McDonald’s.

It started one year when Ben had grand plans to cook and well, let’s just say those grand plans ended up in the bin.

So he’d gone to Macca’s for breakfast that day, bringing some back for Rey.

And then the next time she went with him, and she enjoyed sitting there, looking out across the park and watching the world go by.

And they’d continued this tradition ever since.

‘Any NY’s resolutions?’ Ben asks Rey, pouring the syrup over his pancakes and licking the excess off his fingers.

Rey laughs, munching on her raisin toast. ‘Hmm, not really. I usually make them, then break them’

‘You know me’

Ben does know Rey.

Let’s see – there was the one year she decided she was going to learn to play hockey, but then the gear cost too much and she got hit in the head at the first training session.

Then two years ago she decided she was going super healthy and she lived on protein shakes – but as far as Ben remembered, that had only lasted a week.

And let’s not forget the time she-

‘Stop it’ Rey says, reaching over to wave a hand in front of his face. ‘I know what you’re doing. You’re replaying all my previous failed resolutions in your head’

Ben laughs.

‘Well, this year’ she continues, taking a sip of coffee ‘the only resolutions I’m making are to love you more each day…’

Ben nods. ‘I like that one’

‘And to spend more time in the bedroom’

Ben seems pleasantly surprised. ‘Oh, I _really_ like that one’

Rey screws up her nose. ‘I thought you might’

‘Well how about, I make those my resolutions too. Then it’s a win/win’

Rey nods in agreement. ‘Deal’

‘Oh’ Rey says when they’ve almost finished eating. ‘Don’t forget I’m at Rose’s today. We’re having our annual girls’ TV binge-fest’

How could Ben ever forget?

‘Yep, no worries. Just make sure you’re ready when Mom and Dad swing by at 11 to pick you up, ok?’

‘Yep. I’ll be ready’

All he really understood about NYE was that he and Rey had breakfast together, and then the girls watched trashy TV shows and ate junk food for most of the day – alternating between Rose’s place and theirs.

He made sure he was out most of the day when it was Rey’s turn to host.

Either that or he retreated to the bedroom with his headphones on to listen to music or play video games.

‘ _God, he’s sexy as_ ’ ‘ _He looks so much better with his shirt off_ ’ ‘ _No! Don’t kill her! She’s the good one!_ ’

These are just some of the snippets of conversation he’d overheard when he dared venture out into the living room in the past.

What was so interesting about the Bold and the Beautiful anyway?

But he understood he and Rey had their traditions, and Rey and Rose had theirs.

And he certainly didn’t want to be the one to break that up.

They finish eating and walk back to their apartment. It’s chilly out but the day has a spring feel about it.

Rey leaves and Ben settles on the couch to get stuck into his own NYE tradition – trying to beat his latest Gran Turismo lap record.

By 6pm, he’s over every video game ever invented, dropping around to his parents’ place to go over the night’s events…just one more time.

‘So, you know the plan?’

‘We’re gonna meet at Times Square at 11, but I’m gonna sneak her away so she can hear me when I ask her, and then I’ll have the ring-‘

Leia reaches over the table to place a comforting hand over his. ‘Ben. We know the plan’

‘In fact, I think we’ve been over it about 10 times already…’

‘Don’t worry, we’ll make sure we get Rey to Times Square, and you can take care of the rest’

Ben leans back in the small chair. It’s only now he’s starting to doubt himself.

‘Sorry. I’m so nervous. What if she says no?’

‘Ben, you’ve been together for 7 years. I can’t think of a single reason why Rey would say no’

‘And yes, I may be bias being that you’re my only son, but still’

Ben groans.

‘She loves you, right?’

Ben nods. Of course she does.

‘Then everything else is irrelevant’

‘And don’t get so nervous that you forget to enjoy the moment, ok?’

‘It’s your moment, too’

Ben guesses so, although he’s never thought of it that way.

She says yes, and they live happily after – that’s the only real plan he has.

Han enters then, ruffling Ben’s hair because he knows how much it annoys him.

‘Hey kid’

‘Hey Dad’

Han leans against the kitchen counter. ‘Any plans for tonight?’

If looks could kill, Han would be dead.

‘Honey, enough. Ben is nervous enough as it is’

Han laughs, taking a seat at the table. ‘I know, I know. Sorry’

‘I doubt you have anything to worry about, kid’

Han nods across the table at Leia. ‘If I can get this woman to say yes, you’ll be fine’

‘Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence Dad…and correct me if I’m wrong, but didn’t Mom refuse you the first time?’

Han sits up straight. ‘Well that’s not really the point...’

‘Well, If you’re trying to make me feel better, you’re doing a lousy job’

Ben gets up to leave, grabbing his coat by the front door. He can hear his mother yelling at Han for ‘making trouble’ as he steps into his boots.

Leia finds him at the door. ‘Honey, your father’s just teasing’

‘Listen to me’

She grabs him and turns him, so he’ll look at her.

‘I love you. Your father loves you, and Rey loves you’

‘You have nothing to worry about, do you hear me?’

Ben nods, pulling her into a massive bear hug. ‘I hear ya. Thanks Mom’

She waves as he leaves. ‘We’ll see you tonight then? I’d say good luck, but I know you won’t need it’

Ben smiles and closes the door behind him.

He can only hope she’s right.

 

By 10pm he’s so nervous he’s pacing the living room.

He goes to check on the ring box in his sock drawer, and thankfully it’s still there.

So he hops in the shower, then sets his mind on what to wear. It’s going to be cool out, so he needs to go for comfort and warmth over style.

He pulls a few options out of his closet and lays them on the bed, holding them up with his dark denim jeans to help him decide.

He eventually settles on a plain black tee, pairing it with his favourite soft leather jacket.

One day he probably should branch out and invest in more colours than just black, but that’ll probably never happen.

Although his jacket is more of a dark brown, but who really cares.

It’s 10.30pm – time to roll.

Ben grabs the ring box and stuffs it into his jacket pocket, catching a cab as close as he can to Times Square. He’s keen to scout out the best place for his proposal while the crowd is not yet at full capacity.

There are thousands of people around already.

Ben takes a deep breath and ignores what’s going on around him, focused on finding a place where he’ll have room to get down on one knee.

Maybe he hadn’t thought this through properly, but there wasn’t time to panic now.

It’s way too late for that.

 _10.50pm_

Broadway/7th Avenue are currently closed to traffic, so he heads to one of the only designated access points he can find, on 6th Avenue.

 _11.30pm_

It’s taken him longer than he expected to find a combination of good viewing spot for the ball drop and room enough to move, but he thinks he’s found one.

The majority of the crowd surge forward to get as close as they can, but Ben hangs back.

There’s giant viewing screens nearby to ensure they can see all the action anyway.

He glances at his watch, again, pulling out his cell to call his mother.

She picks up after only 2 rings.

‘Ben? Where abouts are you?!’

‘I entered on 6th Avenue. Please tell me you’re close?!’

He hears her relay the information to someone in the background, before she returns.

‘Ben, relax. We’re here. Now, where exactly are you?’

He glances up and looks for the easiest thing for them to spot.

‘I’m outside the Disney store, if that helps?’

More chatting to someone in the background, Ben figures it’s Han.

It sounds like they’re reading a map.

‘Ok, ok’

‘We’re not far away, but I’m not sure about our chances of reaching you’

Ben realises at that moment that he hasn’t really considered the amount of people in TS on NYE.

You’d think that would be the _first_ thing one would look into when planning a proposal there but no, not Ben.

He was starting to feel pretty sick in the stomach. He lets out a deep sigh, tucking the phone closer to his ear so he can hear over the music.

‘Just try your best, I guess’ he yells to his mother.

‘We will!’

Ben ends the call and looks all around him.

His whole plan is a disaster.

The gap behind him is now packed and if he were to leave this spot, he’d never find his way back.

There’s loud music blaring from multiple speakers, and he can hardly hear himself think over the noise.

He wouldn’t even _have_ the room to get down on one knee, let alone get back up.

Ben chalks it up to yet another disaster in his life and moves to the edge of the crowd for some more air.

He can see someone waving their hand frantically and he’s squinting to see who it is.

It’s looks like Rey’s beanie, the pompom bobbing as whoever it is pushes his way.

And there’s his parents.

If he could run, he’d be doing it right now, but he stays put and waits for them to come to him.

He glances at his watch again.

_11.50pm._

Talk about cutting it fine.

But he’s resigned himself to the fact that this is _not_ the time nor the place to propose.

However it’s not all bad - Rey will still get to live out one of her dreams, so he figures he should just enjoy the moment – for her.

The three of them finally join him, Ben leaning down to give Rey a kiss, except she pulls away.

‘Hey! It’s not midnight yet’ she says with a wink and a smile.

Ben puts his hands up defensively. ‘Ok, ok. Fair enough’

He looks over to his mother and father.

Leia shrugs at him with a sad look on her face.

He can see the disappointment on her face, but there’s absolutely nothing he can do about it.

He pulls Rey around in front of him and wraps his arms tightly around her waist, nuzzling into her neck as she leans her head so he can nestle there.

‘Excited?’

He can feel her sigh. ‘Ben. This is…’ she pauses to look around and take it all in ‘just so amazing’

‘Thank you’

He breathes into her ear, kissing her neck. ‘You’re welcome babe’

_11.59pm_

The countdown begins.

10, 9

Rey turns to Ben and stares up at him and he shuffles side-on so she can glance between him and the ball drop.

8, 7, 6

He really should be down on one knee by now…

5, 4, 3

The crowd start to cheer as the final few seconds of the year tick by, and a new year begins.

2,1

**HAPPY NEW YEAR!!**

He’s never quite heard a roar like this one, the music blaring from the speakers at the clock ticks down to zero.

Rey jumps up and wraps her legs around him, mouthing _Happy New Year_ before leaning in to smash her mouth against his.

This kind of over-zealous PDA would usually have him blushing, but everyone else seems to be doing the same thing and so he couldn’t care less tonight.

This night was always meant to be about Rey, and his non-proposal won’t change that.

He staggers backwards from her force, bracing his butt on one of the metal barriers.

It’s a frenzied kiss to begin with, turning into a slower, more passionate kiss at the minutes tick by.

Ben can’t hear himself think, but that’s probably a good thing.

Because if he could, he’d be thinking about all the things that went wrong tonight, not about all the things that turned out ok.

Rey breaks away from the kiss and drops to her feet, wrapping her arms around his waist.

He glances over at his parents, and they look happy.

They’ve had their moments – what couple doesn’t – but for tonight, they look like they don’t have a care in the world.

Ben and Rey hold each other close until the main revelry dies down and people begin to disperse, Rey heading over to stand with Han and Leia for a bit.

He can finally move around and catch his breath, the crowd filtering out more as each minute passes.

Ben looks over at Rey.

She’s now found a clearing amongst the crowd and she’s standing there – alone.

She’s looking up at the tower with a sense of awe and wonder, remnants of confetti falling from the sky to settle around her.

Ben wonders if _now_ might be the time?

Of all the moments he could’ve picked to propose, he could never have imagined one so perfect as the scenario playing out right in front of him.

He shoves his hand into his pocket and clutches the ring box, taking a long, deep breath.

His parents are still nearby, standing just off to the left of Rey.

It’s now or never.

Ben walks around behind Rey, still staring up at the tower, a piece of confetti settling on her head – and he sinks down on one knee.

He hears his mother gasp and he’s silently praying Rey won’t turn around before he’s ready to speak.

He’s rehearsed what he’d say _so_ many times in his head, but he’s now pretty sure the entire English language has upped and left his brain.

Ben takes another deep breath.

‘Rey?’

He says it loud enough for her to hear over the dispersing crowd…

She turns around.

And there’s Ben – down on one knee, open ring box presented to her.

She freezes, and only her eyes drop. It’s like she’s frozen in time, unable to move…

Until you can see the realisation come over her face, her hands flying to cover her open mouth.

‘Rey Jackson, I-‘

Ben swallows.

**_Shit._ **

**_C’mon brain._ **

He blows out a breath and takes another shot.

‘Rey Jackson’

‘I love you more than I thought I could ever love _anyone_ in this world’

‘You make me smile, every day. You make me laugh. You’re the only one who gets my crazy sense of humour…’

Rey looks over at Han and Leia then, and they all laugh.

‘And you’re the only one I want to wake up to every morning for the rest of my life’

Rey bends over to rest her hands on her knees, breathing deeply, obviously still in shock.

He waits for her to make eye contact again.

‘I want to make babies with you’

He swears he hears his mother sniffling.

‘I want to grow old with you’

‘I want to spend every day’ he pauses now, for dramatic effect ‘ _every day_ , of the rest of my life…with you’

‘Will you marry me?’

Rey doesn’t need time to think about her answer, and she certainly isn’t one to drag it out for dramatic effect.

She walks closer to Ben and whispers the only word he wants to hear.

‘ _Yes_ ’

‘ _Yesyesyesyesyesyesyes!!_ ’

Ben laughs and stands shakily, his nerves still a wreck.

Rey moves in, desperate for a closer look at her ring, bobbing on the balls of her feet with excitement.

He pulls the ring out and shoves the box back into his pocket, taking her hand.

She gasps as he pushes the ring slowly onto her finger, pulling it in for a closer inspection.

‘ _Oh_ _Ben_ ’ she breathes.

‘ _It’s beautiful_ ’

‘Just like you babe’ he says with a wink.

She jumps on him again and a crowd of people walking by, who all stood and watched him propose, now cheer.

Ben kisses her with everything he has, spinning her around and around until he’s dizzy.

He lowers her to her feet, and it’s done.

Rey is his _fiancé_.

He finally gets some space to breathe, his parents only now moving to hug them both with their enthusiastic congratulations.

Ben is sure when he looks back on this night it will all be a bit of a blur – but he’ll never forget the answer she gave him…

**_Yes._ **

****

~~~~~~~~~~

 

‘Hey mister fiancé’ Rey purrs as she crawls into bed early the next morning, exhausted and blissfully happy.

‘Hey missus fiancé’ Ben responds, pulling her into him.

Rey laughs. ‘It’s gonna take a while to get used to that, I think’

‘You being my fiancé’

‘Yeah, I think so. But when we’re married, I’m just gonna call you wifey’

Rey smiles, peering up at him.

Ben rolls over to face her, the two of them now face to face, heads resting on their pillows.

‘Is now the time to tell you about the stack of bridal magazines under the bed??’

Ben cracks up laughing. ‘Oh god. Does that mean you have your dress picked out already?’

‘Hmm, maybe. But no’

‘I’m sure once I go and try some on, I’ll find one I really fall in love with’

Ben trails a finger down her nose, and she kisses his finger.

‘Babe, you could get married naked and you’d be the most beautiful bride ever’

Rey cringes at that. ‘Ew, naked! No Ben’

She cracks up then, Ben tickling her to make her laugh even more.

‘Yes! Walk down the aisle naked’ he says as she squirms even more. ‘And just think. Then you won’t have to undress for our wedding night’

Rey rolls her eyes, running her hands through her fiances hair. ‘You’d actually like that, wouldn’t you?’

‘Hell yes’

Rey rolls her eyes again, planting a kiss on his lips. ‘I can’t believe you really said ‘I want to make babies with you’ in front of your mother’

Ben laughs. ‘Yeah, I think she actually started knitting baby clothes in her head at that exact moment’

‘Do you really wanna make babies with me?’

Ben gives her a look as if she’s crazy. ‘Of course I do. I can’t wait to see your beautiful pregnant belly carrying our child’

Rey smiles then. A soft, sweet smile.

‘Maybe we could start trying right now?’

Rey pretends to push him away. ‘No! We can’t. Your parents would kill us if I got pregnant before the wedding’

Ben shrugs. ‘It might take a while…but we could start trying? C’mon’

‘No Ben’ she says again, pushing him away. ‘I’m tired, we have to sleep’

‘It’s been the longest, most exhausting’ she pauses to look back at him ‘ _best_ night of my life, and now I need to sleep’

Ben rolls onto his back, pulling her arm over his chest. ‘Fair enough babe. I can wait’

‘But how long can you wait?’

Ben turns back to look at her, tucking a loose strand of hair back behind her ear.

‘Well, we have forever don’t we?’

Rey hums, cuddling up to her fiancé with a yawn.

‘Mm, forever’ she repeats, closing her eyes.

‘I like the sound of that’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year everyone!  
> Hope you're still enjoying this fic? It's certainly been one of my favourites to write :)  
> Best wishes for 2019.  
> Gem x


	7. Things happen when you least expect them

‘I can’t even see my feet!’

‘I can’t sit properly…or sleep comfortably...’

‘We haven’t had sex for weeks!’

**_2 months babe, if we’re being specific_**

‘I just want this to be over!!’

Ben follows the wailing sounds, finding Rey in front of the bedroom mirror sobbing.

She spots him and makes a dash to the bathroom, slamming the door. He’s learnt not to take it so personally these days, but it took him a while to get that.

Now, he’s simply trying to cope with each new day the best he can.

**_I really should pack that mirror into storage._ **

**_She’s been obsessed with it for months now, and not in a good way._ **

Ben is at his wits end.

Rey is currently 32 weeks pregnant with a belly the size of a small New York apartment, but a belly that Ben just _cannot_ keeps his hands off.

He wants to touch it - _all the time_.

Rey’s probably sick of him asking her to lift her top so he can caress the stretched skin, but he can’t help it.

They're due to give birth in only 6 days, and she's really freaking out - instances like this one occurring all too regularly now.

Their doctor has recommended a cesaeran delivery which is due to take place next week.

**_Next. week._ **

Ben feels like this is only just sinking in, the last few months mostly a busy blur.

But he absolutely cannot wait to meet these three, still not quite believing he’s a father of _four_ now.

**_Shit._ **

**SHIT.**

The last few months have been far from smooth sailing though, so he’ll just be happy to put those memories behind him.

Rey spent a brief period hospitalised for high blood pressure and overall she’s just been generally unhappy with her appearance as her body changes to adapt to the 3 tiny lives growing inside her.

Ben, on the other hand is loving the physical changes – he just wishes Rey could enjoy it a bit more too.

But he also understands this is _much harder_ on her than it could ever be on him.

In the last week especially Rey has been crying at random things, and he just doesn’t know what to do or say to make it all ok anymore.

He’s fresh out of pep talks and pleasantries.

It’s time to call in reinforcements - aka Finn and Rose.

Their besties had surprised them, and the rest of their friends with an impromptu wedding/baby announcement only 8 months ago, Rose due to give birth just a few weeks after Rey.

So Ben's hoping some girly chat with someone in a similar situation might help lift Rey's spirits. He figures _anything_ is worth a try at this stage.

 

He pulls his phone from his pocket and dials Finn’s number, plonking down on their bed to stretch his long legs out.

‘Ben! Long time, no see. Sup?’

Ben sighs deeply. ‘Hey man’

‘Shit. That bad huh?’

Ben sighs again, running a hand through his hair.

**_When did my hair get so long?!_ **

**_I really need a haircut._ **

‘Uh, earth to Ben!’

‘Sorry man. I was distracted by my hair’

Finn laughs. ‘You called me about your hair?!’ ‘Then you got real problems, Solo’

It’s the first time Ben’s laughed properly in a long time, to be honest.

Lately everything seems so draining, with the pressure on at both work _and_ home. Although he's now on leave for 3 months so that should help ease the load a bit.

‘I was actually hoping Rose might be able to come and spend some time with Rey?'

'As in, really soon?’

‘She’s totally stressed about the delivery next week and honestly, I don’t even know what to do anymore’

‘Say no more. We’re on it!’

Ben feels bad for neglecting Finn and Rose these last few months, but he hopes Finn understands why. Because that’s what good friends do – they somehow understand, without you even having to say it.

‘We could come over tonight and bring dinner?’

‘We haven’t caught up for ages and the girls can swap pregnancy horror stories and we can talk about…well, anything else’ he finishes with a laugh, Rose yelling out ‘ _Absolutely_ ’ in the background.

Ben blows out a breath. ‘You know what? That sounds perfect. Thanks heaps man’

‘No worries. Always here if you need us, you know that’

‘7 OK?’

Ben nods even though Finn can’t see him, Rey exiting the bathroom finally.

He kicks his legs off the side of the bed, smiling at his gorgeous round wife.

‘Great, see you then’

Hanging up the phone and returning it to his pocket he gestures for Rey to come and sit on his lap, rubbing her back in slow circles when she eventually plonks down on him.

**_Damn girl you're_ _heavy._ **

‘Hey’ he starts, tucking her hair behind her ear. ‘Finn and Rose are coming over at 7 and they’re bringing dinner so…’

Rey shakes her head with a sniff. ‘Ben, I’m really not up for visitors’

How did he know she’d say that?

‘I haven’t vacuumed, the place is a mess. I haven’t washed the dishes from this morning-‘

‘Rey’ Ben says, raising a hand. ‘Just stop’

He grabs hold of her left hand, stroking the soft skin under his thumb. ‘Finn and Rose aren’t visitors...they’re our closest friends’

‘And trust me, they don’t care about our untidy house or, let’s be honest, they’d never come here’

Rey laughs, because deep down she knows it’s true.

It’s almost impossible to keep a tidy house when you have a little one crawling around, pulling things out almost as soon as you pack them away.

She lets out a deep breath, and he continues.

‘So, they’re coming. And before then, you and our little ones are going to take a super long soak in a nice, warm shower’

‘Ok?’

Rey simply nods.

‘I’ll run the water and grab your slippers and robe, you just get... _naked_ ’ he says with his best sexy voice and his best smirk, Rey screwing up her nose.

But at least she does smile, wrapping her arms around his neck. ‘That sounds’ she sighs, ‘amazing’

‘But what if I slip and fall and hurt these little bubbas?’ she says, reaching down to rub her belly with that adorable pout of hers.

Ben raises his eyebrows at her. ‘Babe, you always think the worst lately’

‘If it makes you feel any better, how about I shower with you?’

Rey still looks a little unsure, so he gives her the ‘you _will_ do as I say and you _will_ enjoy it’ look.

She’s too tired to fight with him and to be honest a warm shower does sound rather appealing right now.

‘Ok’ Rey nods and leaves him with a kiss, slowly trudging her way back to the bathroom.

 

She’s still undressing as he enters with her robe and slippers, hanging them on the hook behind the door.

‘Can you help me with my underwear please? I can’t bend over’

Ben smiles sympathetically, and Rey looks like she’s going to cry.

Again.

‘Bennn’ she whines with a huff. ‘Don’t laugh at me’

Ben sighs.

He really needs to _stop_ sighing, he feels like it’s all he’s been doing lately.

‘Baby, I’m _not_ laughing at you. I’m smiling at how gorgeous you are’

Rey’s head falls back with a groan. ‘But I’m not’

He just shakes his head, bending down to pull off her underwear, helping her step out of them while she rests a hand on each of his shoulders to keep her balance.

Ben’s dying to take his naked wife again and being _down there_ while she’s naked - it’s just not helping at all.

 

It’s been 2 months since they last had sex – and yes, he is _most definitely_ counting. They’ve made out a few times and he was lucky enough to get head twice in that time, but it’s just not the same.

It certainly hadn’t been that way during her first pregnancy, but Ben understands why she feels so much more self-conscious this time around.

Her stomach is certainly much bigger and her boobs have grown significantly – not that he’d _ever_ complain about that.

But when it comes to sex, Ben knows he just has to be patient.

He’s even resorted to getting himself off in secret the last few weeks - but if that’s what he has to do until she’s up for it again, then that’s what he’ll do.

 

She’s still looking sad when he glances up again.

‘I’m not beautiful, you know?’

Ben really hates hearing her say that, but he knows it’s mostly the hormones talking.

Nonetheless, it’s still hurts him to hear it.

‘I’m fat, and I can’t see my feet and-‘

'...my boobs' she says, placing her arms across her chest to hide them 'How am I going to manage feeding 3 babies AND a toddler?!'

'I'll just be one big milking cow...with my boobs on constant rotation'

'Babe' he says, removing her arms from her chest to drop them by her side. 'I have a feeling these' he says with a gentle squeeze to each 'will be able to cope with whatever is thrown at them'

At least hearing that makes her smile, if only for a while.

'And, I can help. You can express, and I can help you feed. You've started weaning Hope now anyway, so that'll be one less...' He considers the last part carefully '...cow at the milking station?'. Rey cracks up, and it's just the reaction he was hoping for.

'We're in this together, remember? You don't have to do it all by yourself'

Seems his reassuring words haven't done much to comfort his wife.

'But, what if I can't do it, Ben? What if one's crying, and another one needs feeding and another-'

‘Right. Enough’. Reaching into the shower to turn it on, he holds his hand under the water until it’s the right temperature.

He reaches for her hand and gestures to the open door. ‘ _In_ ’

Rey does love when Ben is bossy with her and she'd never tell him this...but it's a bit of a turn on.

She walks slowly past her husband, trailing her hand low across his stomach as she enters the shower with a sweet smile, making sure to brush her hand casually over his cock.

Ben knows this gesture means absolutely nothing these days because it hasn’t gone any further for a while, but unbeknownst to him, Rey finds herself feeling a little frisky.

For the first time in a _long_ time.

She can’t even put into words how much she misses his cock inside of her and she finds herself wondering if it’s changed much since she saw it last?

Probably not, but it feels like it’s been that long.

 

She backs into the water stream with a soft moan.

Ben _was_ planning to focus on a platonic shower, but hearing her moan like that? His cock ain’t feeling that platonic right now, and there’s no way she’s going to miss that.

He strips and throws his clothes on the floor, stepping in to close the door behind him.

It’s a tight fit, with just a normal shower and Rey’s massive belly, but they’ll make it work.

He reaches over her head, grabbing the shampoo. ‘Turn around babe, I’ll wash your hair’

‘Mm. You’re too good to me, Ben Solo’

Ben laughs. ‘Well, that’s because I love you. Now, turn around please’

She does turn around - with a turning circle of the Queen Mary.

Ben stifles a laugh watching her manouver herself around so slowly, Rey eventually standing with her back to him.

He sets to work, lathering the shampoo in his hands before lathering her hair.

She moans again at the feel of his hands in her hair, sinking her head back further.

Ben’s busy working the shampoo into the roots when he feels Rey reaching behind her, obviously seeking out his cock.

**_Ooh, hello._ **

**_‘_** _ _Bennn__ _’_ she whines, and he looks down to see her hand trying to search him out. So he shuffles forward slightly, pushing his proudly standing cock down into her hand.

She latches onto him maybe a little too enthusiastically at first.

‘Ah, Rey!’

‘Gentle’

‘Sorry, sorry’ She moves her hand away, her shoulders instantly sinking.

Ben rinses his hands under the water and they come to rest on her wide hips.

‘Baby’ he leans over to whisper in her ear. ‘I didn’t say you had to stop’

‘Oh’

So she tries again, Ben moving close enough that she can grab him first time, her small hand extending as far around him as it can go.

The feel of her touching him again is _almost_ enough to make him come on the spot, and he can’t help but let out a possessive growl.

‘Do you have _any idea_ how good that feels, babe?’, her small hand pumping him.

‘I’m sorry’ she says, turning around so she can face him again while rinsing her hair under the water.

‘What are you sorry for?’

‘Not putting out’

Ben laughs, shaking his head. He rests both of his hands on her shoulders and looks deep into her eyes, the way he does when he really needs to get his message through to her.

‘Baby, I don’t ever want you to _put out_ if you don’t feel like it’

‘Pregnant, or not’

‘You do know that right?’

She nods. ‘Well, I do but…I also know…’

Ben waits for her to continue but she looks away, running her finger absentmindedly down the tiled wall.

‘Mm?’

She turns back to him with a frown. ‘I heard you’

Ben’s brow creases in confusion. ‘Heard me?’

She glances down to gesture at his cock, then back up to meet his gaze. ‘You know…’

It takes a few seconds for it to register what she’s talking about and crap, now he feels even more guilty.

‘When?’

‘The other morning…in the bathroom’

Ben traces his mind back to two mornings ago.

He’d woken up with morning wood, but it was early and he knew he wasn’t going to get it from Rey so yeah, he’s sad to admit he did jack off in the bathroom before sneaking back to bed.

‘I thought you were asleep?’

She shakes her head.

‘You must’ve woken me when you got up and I thought you’d gotten up to get a drink, so I went to use the bathroom…

‘…and the door was shut, so…I waited outside’

‘ _Until_ I heard what you were doing, that is’

**_Shit._ **

He pulls her in for a hug. ‘Babe, I’m sorry you had to hear that’

‘Well, you don’t have to be’ she replies, looking up at him. ‘I know you have needs, and I feel bad enough that I can’t help with that right now, but I just want…’

Ben stares down at her, feeling pretty awful.

‘I guess I just wanted you to know that I know. And it’s ok’

Ben smiles. ‘Well, that’s very kind, but you know I’d rather not do it at all, yeah? I'd rather have sex with you...’

Rey nods. ‘I know. That's why I'm sorry’

She’s thoughtful for a moment. ‘But guess what?’

Her nails scratch gently down his chest, Ben’s breath hitching and his heart pounding.

Although he’s not getting his hopes up…

Ok, _he is_.

She moves one hand lower down, cupping his ball sac gently. ‘I’m actually horny right now…if you want to?’

Ben smiles. ‘Absolutely, yes, you know I do'

'But' He looks down, unsure how exactly they can make this work. ‘Uh...’

Rey looks up at him, and then she laughs. ‘I can read your mind, Ben Solo. I know exactly what you’re thinking’

Ben acts all defensive, huffing a laugh. ‘Ok, what _am_ I thinking?’

‘You’re thinking…how do I shag my…’ she pauses, screwing up her nose ‘beautifully pregnant wife in the shower when she's the size of a house?’

Ben smiles, the widest he has in a long time.

**_She called herself beautiful - finally._ **

He holds her for a while and it’s nice, it’s perfect – the warm water showering over them both, Rey’s skin warm against his.

‘Well, can’t we just do it the way we normally do in here?’ she says, emptying a small amount of shampoo into her hand as Ben ducks down so she can lather his hair.

‘Uh, not really. I can't lift you up, for one...'

Oh yeah. Rey had forgotten that important part.

'Maybe if you lean against the wall I can try from behind? If you're comfortable with that?'

Ben’s enjoying the attention his head is currently getting. He hums as she works the shampoo in, leaning his head under the stream afterwards to rinse as Rey ducks out of the way.

'I am. Let's do that then'

Ben reaches down to fondle her breasts. They’ve grown a fair bit bigger during the final months of her pregnancy, and Ben loves it - _so, so much_.

And although she isn’t feeding Hope nearly as much these days, thankfully he still gets to see them on the odd occasion.

‘But, can I shave first?’

Ben looks at her as if to say ‘y _ou don’t need to shave beforehand babe, I’ve seen it all before’_ , but she wants to anyway.

‘I’ll be quick!’

She reaches around to grab the razor from the caddy, wetting it under the shower first, before shaving her pits bare.

Ben’s impressed by how quickly she does it – he’s meticulous when he shaves, careful not to cut himself too many times.

But he figures she’s had plenty of practice with armpits, legs and her beautiful – ok, he’s definitely horny now -

‘Ben? You look like you’re in a daydream’

‘Hm. I was’

‘Pretty good one too’

She cocks her head as he stares down at her, blush rising on her pretty cheeks.

‘You sure you’re ok with this?’

‘Absolutely’ Rey nods, turning to face the side wall and placing her hands up for leverege.

Ben shuffles around behind her but he doesn’t move too quickly – he’s enjoying the view of his wife in this position far too much.

He stands, pumping his cock until he’s hard enough.

‘Ben? What are you waiting for?’

He moves in behind her, but he soon realises it’s not going to be quite as easy as either of them thought.

‘Can you?’ he shuffles closer, bending his knees slightly. 'Can you get up on your toes?

Rey whines.

_**That's a no.** _

‘Hang on’

Ben usually lifts her up so her back is against the wall, or she pulls her leg up in front of her so he can get the angle right, but she can’t lift her legs because of her belly, and he can only squat for so long.

‘Babe, I’m not sure this is going to work’

Rey sinks her head, the water growing cold because they’ve been in there for so long.

Ben assesses the situation, but he’s not coming up with anything feasible.

‘Well’ she says, turning to look at him over her shoulder ‘can you just touch me?’

He can do that. In fact, he’d be more than happy to give her that.

Ben pushes up against her back gently, reaching underneath to find her holy grail.

She moans the minute he touches her, spreading her legs further apart.

Ben works her slowly with his fingers, but not as hard as he normally would, backing off because he doesn’t want to do anything he shouldn’t.

And she’s drier than normal down there, but he doesn’t have any lube nearby and he really doesn’t feel like running down the hall soaking wet to get it either.

‘Ah, Ben’

‘Do you want me to stop?!’ Ben panics, pulling his fingers away.

‘No, no. It’s _so_ good. Please don’t stop’

‘I need more though…’

**_More?_ **

He’s not sure how much more he can give her without sticking his fingers inside, and he doesn’t want to do that in case something happens.

He’s afraid he’ll make her water break, or she’ll bleed or – a few different thoughts come to his mind and he’s not sure he wants to go there.

‘Babe, I don’t wanna go too hard’

‘Why?’ She’s still looking at him, willing him to put his hand back. ‘I’m ok, really’

‘I just need you inside me. Or your fingers, at least’

‘Is it safe though? I mean, I have long fingers, and I don’t want to trigger labour or anything’

Rey laughs at him.

Now Ben feels like a _real_ idiot.

‘Ben. For one, your cock is a lot longer than any of your fingers’

**_Ok, she’s not wrong there._ **

‘And secondly, the doctor said it was perfectly safe to keep having sex for a while longer yet’

Rey stands upright to give her back a mini stretch. ‘So anything your cock can do, you can do with your fingers’

She bends down again, parting her legs, with her head between her arms. ‘Please? I need this’

**_You’re not the only one._ **

Ben glances at the clock through the steam, noticing that Finn and Rose won’t be far away.

‘Baby, you’re not gonna like this…’

‘ _Bennnn_ ’

He’s right, she’s not loving it.

‘Finn and Rose will be here in half an hour…we really should get ready. And clean up’

Rey feels like crying – just for a change.

She’s waited so long for anything sexual to happen with Ben after so many weeks without and now they’ve run out of time.

‘Dammit Ben’ she huffs, standing upright again to turn around.

‘Hey, I’m sorry ok. I want this as much as you do, but I don’t want to hurt you and I-‘

‘It’s fine’ she says, pushing past him to exit the shower, closing the door behind her.

Except obviously, it’s _not_ fine.

She’s angry, and he can’t help but feel bad. But he’d much rather Rey stay angry at him for a while, than hurt her or have anything happen to those precious babies.

He would never, ever forgive himself if anything happened to _any one_ of them.

She dries herself quickly while Ben finishes up, then leaves the bathroom shortly after without another word.

 

Ben throws his clothes back on and joins Rey in the bedroom.

He can tell already she’s giving him the silent treatment, so he just doesn’t say anything.

He runs a comb through his hair, freshens up with a bit of cologne, heading to the living room for a quick tidy up.

 

~~~~~~~~~~

 

Their apartment has undergone quite a few changes in recent months.

The study has moved closer to the living space, so the large spare room could be converted into a nursery for the triplets.

Hope wakes just as he leaves the bedroom, so he scoops her up and takes her into the living room with him - she’s perfectly happy playing in the corner with her copious amounts of toys, babbling away to herself in her happy little voice.

Ben realises he still has a little time up his sleeve, so he decides to make the most of playing with Hope now, because life is about to get extremely hectic and he’s afraid she’ll feel a little neglected when the babies arrive.

And if that means playing tea parties with a group of dolls, then so be it.

‘Da-da, tea?’ she asks sweetly, pushing a cup into his face.

‘Oh, thank you. I love tea’ he says excitedly, pouring two cups of imaginary tea from the plastic teapot.

She watches him with wide eyes as he picks up the tiny cup in his large hand, blowing into it before taking a pretend sip.

And then she does exactly the same.

Ben’s loving all the new discoveries now she’s growing up – she’s babbling more, trying out words, crawling mostly but pulling herself up on things, which means they’ve had to completely child-proof the house.

It also means they can’t really take their eyes off her, which makes everyday tasks a little more difficult.

But that’s life.

Hope is now 17 months, her first birthday only 5 months ago.

Both Ben and Rey decided, once they found out about the three new arrivals, that their children would never have the extravagant birthday parties everyone seemed to hold these days.

Hope's first party had consisted of Ben, Rey and Hope and a small cupcake with a candle, but she still knew she was loved more than anything in the world, and it was enough.

Their kids would have the odd party or two growing up, but most birthdays would just be kept simple and spent with family.

Growing older and becoming a parent had made them both rethink all the things they had growing up, and the things that meant the most to them in their lives.

And one of _the_ most important things, that they both agreed on, was _family_.

Ben pours a second cup of tea and reflects on life, realising that he’s going to have to split his playtime betweenfour children soon enough.

_Four!_

He’s suddenly feeling rather overwhelmed so he distracts himself by running around to complete his tidy-up, scooping up handfuls of toys and clothes and shoving them into the bottom of Hope’s closet.

Hope crawls around following him, instantly reaching in to pull out all the toys he’s just put away.

Ben groans, heading for the kitchen for a rusk – she loves those things.

‘Here’ he says, squatting down to hand it to her. ‘Daddy has to tidy up, baby’

She accepts it, plonking down in the middle of the living room floor.

She’s been a little clingy lately, hardly leaving Rey’s side when she’s around so he figures he’s the substitute when she’s not.

Rey is still in their room and he’s hoping she’ll emerge at some stage tonight – preferably before Finn and Rose get there.

She does emerge, just before they arrive.

 

~~~~~~~~~~

 

Finn enters cheerfully, arms loaded with bags of Chinese takeout and Rose not far behind.

Her tummy has grown significantly since they saw her last, but she looks well enough.

‘Wow girl’ Rey says when she sees her. ‘Look at your bump! You’re so big!’

Rose laughs, walking over to give her bestie a hug. ‘Hmm…wish I could say you weren’t’ she says, placing both hands on Rey’s belly ‘but, you’re massive!’

‘Oh my god! I cannot _wait_ to meet these three’

They girls take a seat on the couch, chatting away about their respective bumps, Finn and Ben organising the food in the kitchen.

Finn pulls cutlery out of the drawer and turns back to Ben. ‘You look seriously tired man, you sure you’re ok?’

Ben just shrugs. ‘It’s been tough lately, I won’t lie. Just hanging out for next week really’

‘You guys are amazing, I tell you’ Finn says, a reassuring hand on Ben’s shoulder. ‘I think I’d be going crazy by now, if I were you. I have no idea how you’re keeping it all together’

‘I’d be terrified!’

Ben laughs. ‘Oh, I am terrified. I just try not to show Rey that, cause she’s really struggling. And I don’t want to make it any harder for her’

‘You’re a good man, Ben Solo’ Finn tells him, echoing the same words his wife had said earlier that day.

**_Maybe it’s not so bad, then._ **

Finn leans in closer with a whisper, Ben grabbing the takeout boxes to move them to the dining room. ‘I _will_ tell you though, the sex right now? Ooo’

Ben raises his eyebrows and stares at his best mate.

He’d be lying if he said he wasn’t totally jealous of his and Rose’s obviously flourishing sex life – remembering Rey’s first pregnancy – but he should be happy for them, not jealous.

‘Yeah? Good for you man’

He means it. He really does.

Finn’s eyes go wide, and he nods slowly. ‘Hell, yeah’

‘I hate you’ Ben says with a laugh, moving from the kitchen to the dining table.

‘Let’s eat’

That night proves to be exactly what Rey needs. She’s laughing, smiling, talking non-stop with Rose about babies and life, and Ben.

He hears his name a few times but he has no idea what they’re talking about exactly, Finn chatting away on the other side of him.

‘You guys got names picked out?’ he asks Ben, chomping on a mouthful of rice.

‘Sort of?’ Ben says, a little tentatively.

Truth is they’ve discussed names a few times but there are a few they’ve yet to settle on.

And picking 3 names is proving to be, well, 3 times as hard as picking one.

They’ve decided on family names for middle names but that’s the only concrete decision they’ve made so far.

‘Do you have those baby books? The ones with thousands of different names?’

Finn laughs. ‘Yeah man. Rose is looking through them every day, reading out the stupidest names’

‘Like, who’d call their kid Horatio?!’

Ben cracks up, looking suddenly thoughtful. ‘Right, so Horatio is out. I’d better tell Rey-‘

Finn loses it. ‘Actually, Horatio Solo sounds like a movie star name or something? You could totally get away with that’

Ben shakes his head with a groan. ‘Uh…how about no?’

‘I’ve got a few names for you, if they’re boys that is. Wanna hear em?’

‘Oh god. I don’t know if I actually-’

Finn nods. ‘Yeah, you do. So, Goin would be my first pic’

Ben just stares at him before it clicks. ‘Goin Solo? Oh geez…’

‘You can’t be serious?’

‘Ok, so you don’t like that one. How about…Flyin’

Ben laughs out loud, Rey glancing back to see what’s so funny.

She smiles at Ben. Laughing away with Finn. It’s just nice to see him happy.

She feels bad for what a headache she’s been lately, but deep down it’s nice to know she has a super supportive husband who loves her regardless.

Rey turns back to Rose, taking a sip of her drink.

‘You ok, hun?’ Rose asks, a gentle hand on Rey’s arm.

Rey sighs, shifting toward Rose so the boys can’t hear their conversation.

‘I just feel…bad’ she starts, rubbing her sore back. ‘I’ve been such a headache for Ben lately, and he’s been so good. I have no idea how I got so lucky, you know?’

‘I really wanna be there for him too, but some days it’s actually a struggle just to get out of bed and get dressed’

Rose moves in and wraps her arm around Rey’s shoulders. ‘You guys have been through a lot already, you can get through this, I know you can’

Rey smiles back at her.

‘And as for Ben, he’s a great guy and yes, you are super lucky to have him and you know he’ll be here for you no matter what, right?’

‘Try not to be too hard on yourself, ok?’

Rey knows she’s coping the best she can, but she still feels guilty.

‘It just worries me, Rose. How on earth am I going to have time for Ben, as well as a toddler and three babies? Three?!’

‘Look I know it probably seems impossible now, but you guys are strong and you’ll get through this because you have to’

‘Because you _want_ to’

‘And because’ she says, placing her hand on Rey’s large bump ‘these three little ones need you to’

Rey feels tears pricking at her eyes.

She knows all of that is true, but it’s been so nice to hear it from her closest friend.

And to be honest, it’s the reassurance she needed so badly.

‘We really should go and join them’ Rey says, standing to grab her food.

When they have dinner, they usually end up on opposite sides of the room and right now, she wants to sit next to her husband.

Rose nods, grabbing her food. The girls move over to the chatting boys, Rey plonking down beside Ben, his hand grabbing her to help her settle onto the couch.

‘Hey’ she says with a whisper, nuzzling her nose into his neck.

Her hand settles on his thigh. He really does smell amazing.

Ben looks a little surprised, placing his hand on Rey’s leg and rubbing it soothingly.

‘Hey babe’ he replies, his head resting against hers.

‘Having a good night?’

Rey nods and smiles back at him. ‘The best. Thank you’

‘How did you know this was just what I needed?’

Ben smiles back at her, flicking his hair out of his eyes. ‘Because I know you. And I love you’

‘You’re too good to me, Ben Solo’ she says, yet again.

He’s really enjoying hearing this from her lately. It makes him feel like, despite how hard it’s been, she still appreciates him.

‘And I’m gonna make it up to you later…’ she trails off, turning to Rose to continue chatting.

Ben takes a deep breath and tries not to get his hopes up. She’s said this a few times before and by the time they get to bed, she’s too exhausted.

And he doesn’t blame her, not one bit.

He joins in the conversation, Rey even reaching for his hand at one point and she holds onto it for the rest of the night, squeezing it at different points in their conversation.

Ben really misses holding hands with his wife.

Sex is great and kissing is fantastic but sometimes he just wants to hold hands. It’s definitely something they don’t do nearly enough.

Rose stifles a yawn toward the end of the night, stretching her legs out in front of her.

‘How long to go?’ Rey asks, snuggling into Ben.

Rose looks at Finn and he fills in the gaps, Rose barely able to keep her eyes open let alone remember her due date.

‘4 weeks…give or take?’ he responds, stealing a glance at Rose.

Rose sighs. ‘Ahh. 4 more weeks of sleep. 4 more weeks of sex. Then what?’ she says, looking over at Ben and Rey.

‘Then? No sleep and no sex’ Ben says with a laugh, Rey shoving him in the ribs.

‘Ben!’

‘Rose, that’s not true’

Ben and Finn laugh, making faces at each other, Rose laughing so much she snorts water out her nose.

The next second, everything changes.

Rose grabs her stomach as though she’s in pain, her expression changing from happiness to embarassment.

‘Ohhh god’

She looks down between her legs. ‘Guys…I think I wet myself. Oh my god, how embarassing’

Rey gasps, pulling herself from the couch to help Rose up, Finn on her other side.

But Rey knows she hasn’t wet herself.

‘Rose’ she says ever so gently, moving to stand next to her friend, still holding her hand. ‘Don’t panic…but I think your water has broken’

But Rose starts to panic, Ben standing near paralysed in front of the couch.

‘It can’t have! I’ve still got 4 weeks!’

‘Rose, just breathe’. Rey turns to Ben, still frozen on the spot. ‘Honey, call the hospital and let them know we’re on our way. We have to get Rose there asap’

Ben leaps into action, pulling his phone out to make the call. Thankfully the hospital is only 20 minutes away this time of night, but they'll need to drop Hope at Han's on the way so that'll make it 30 minutes roughly.

Finn and Ben are on either side of Rose, helping her down to the parking garage below, Rey carrying their sleepy daughter.

They hurriedly bundle her into the car (as hurriedly as you _can_ bundle an 8-month pregnant lady into the car), Ben jumping into the driver’s seat.

‘Finn, I haven’t even got my bag packed yet. It’s too early…ooohhh’ Rose moans, beginning to pant.

‘Babe, relax. Just breathe’ Finn tries to keep her calm, rubbing her back and talking her through each contraction.

 

~~~~~~~~~~

 

Luckily the contractions are far enough apart that the baby won’t be making an arrival in the car, the four of them arriving at the hospital just as Rose’s pain starts to intensify.

She’s screaming as they enter the foyer, Finn finding a doctor and heading off with Rose, Rey and Ben collapsing into their respective chairs in the waiting room and wishing them luck as their whisked away.

Ben leans back in his chair, blowing out a long breath. ‘I think we just made it in time, babe’

Rey sighs, resting her head on Ben’s shoulder, his arm wrapping around her shoulders to pull her in.

‘We did. Thanks for getting us here’

Ben smiles, both of them sighing in unison.

‘I can’t believe _we’ll_ be here ourselves next week…’

Ben nods, that familiar hospital smell setting in the air. Like pine, and disinfectant – yet clean, and somewhat comforting.

‘I can’t believe we’ll be coming with one child, and leaving with 3 extras…’

Rey curls tightly into him. ‘Ben, stop. You’re scaring me’

‘Baby…it’s a little bit late for that, don’t you think?’

They laugh together, both a little scared if they’re being honest.

‘I should go and get some stuff for Rose. Finn gave me their key so…’

Rey nods, pulling away. ‘Yes, you’d better go. I’ll stay here. I might grab something to eat from the canteen’

Ben grins at her and she pokes her tongue out. ‘Yes! Ok, ok. I’m still hungry’

Ben stands and bends down to kiss her on the cheek. ‘I’ve never seen you eat so much, but I love every inch of your roundness – you know that, right?

Rey smiles and nods. She does know.

‘I  _am_ eating for 4 you know!’ she calls out as Ben walks through the double doors, gaining a few sympathetic looks from those around her.

Ben turns and gives her a smile and a wink yelling _I won’t be long_ just as the doors close behind him, Rey picking up a magazine and settling in for the wait ahead.

 

Not an hour later Rey has word that Rose is in the final stages of labor, Finn giving her the news.

He’s only just disappeared down the hall again when Ben arrives back with bag in hand, looking flustered and tired.

 ** _Just wait until next_** _**week**_ Rey thinks to herself as she stares at her husband, Ben plonking down beside her with the bag on his knee.

**_Then you’ll know flustered and tired, my darling_.**

Rey eyes the bag and Ben makes a face. ‘I didn’t really know what to pack, so I packed…everything?!’

Rey stifles a laugh and grabs his hand, holding it tight.

Ben rests his head back against the wall. ‘And can I just say…that packing another woman’s underwear into a bag was _not_ how I thought this night would turn out’

Rey cackles and snuggles into him, another 20 minutes passing before they see Finn headed their way, a beaming smile plastered across his face.

Rey and Ben stand in unison, Rey biting her lip nervously.

‘How is she?’ Rey asks as he nears, Finn coming to a stop with a long sigh.

‘She’s doing great’

He blows out a breath, a beaming smile then appearing.

‘It’s a boy’

Ben extends his hand and pulls Finn in for a hug, Rey grabbing him around the waist in some sort of weird three-person hug combo.

‘A little boy!’ Rey squeals with excitement, a few heads turning to see what the commotion is about.

‘A boy? That’s awesome. Congratulations man’ Ben says, affectionately punching him on the arm. ‘How’s Rose doing?’

Finn sits briefly, pulling out his phone to start messaging everyone he knows with the news. ‘She’s actually doing really well’

Then he shakes his head, the shock of the moment maybe finally hitting home. ‘I tell ya Ben, I dunno how these women do it. Rose was _amazing_ ’

Ben laughs, nodding along as Finn speaks, remembering how he felt the same way after little Hope was born.

The miracle of a new life that they created themselves still blows his mind when he thinks too much about it and he admires Rey so much for the pain she went through.

‘I hear ya, man. I hear ya’

Rey leans across Ben. ‘Ok, details. What’s his weight? And his name? What's his name?!’

Ben rolls his eyes at him with a laugh.

But Finn doesn’t mind Rey’s questions – not in the least.

He's on such a high, he just wants to tell everyone.

‘Ah, ok. He’s 9 lb 4ozs’

‘Ooh’ Rey says. ‘He’s a big one’

Finn laughs.

In the world of babies that’s true, he _is_ a big boy, but to look at him in his crib?

He’s just so tiny - and so perfect.

‘And yes, he does have a name’

‘And you guys will be the first to know actually, because I haven’t even called my parents or in-laws yet’

Rey claps her hands in excitement, her eyes widening.

‘So, we went with something not too exotic, but not Jane or Fred either – nothing against the Jane’s or Fred’s of the world…’

They all laugh at that. But Rey can’t wait any longer. ‘So?!’

‘Bryson Alexander’

Rey’s mouth drops.

She remembers Rose telling her how much she'd wanted to use one of her grandfather’s names, Bryson being his middle name. She also remembers Rose telling her how much Finn had been fighting _against_ that name - so something had changed since they’d last spoken about it.

‘Rose chose Bryson, after her grandfather and initially I was really against it, but he actually...looks like a Bryson?'

'I know that doesn’t make sense, but..’

It does make sense to Rey and Ben. They know how much just one look at your newborn can show you whether you’ve picked the right name or not.

‘And I chose Alexander, after my Dad’

‘It’s beautiful, Finn’ Rey sighs, truly meaning it.

And now she just can’t wait to meet little baby Bryson and see how her bestie is doing in the initial hours of motherhood.

‘Well, I’d better get back in’ Finn says, standing from the bench and placing his phone back into his pocket.

‘Do you wanna see him?’

Rey turns to Ben, expectant pleading written all over her face.

Ben nods. ‘We’d love to…if she’s allowed visitors already?’

‘I think they can make an exception for you guys’ Finn says, beckoning them to follow him down the hall.

‘If not, I apologise in advance’

 

The three of them make their way up to the 4th floor and although visiting hours are technically over at 8pm, the nurse is kind enough to allow them in for 10 minutes.

They make their way down the short hallway, the sound of newborn cries filtering out from some of the maternity rooms as they pass.

They knock softly and make their way into Rose’s room.

Rey feels her stress and anxiety fade, and her excitement return as she and Ben peer down into the small crib by Rose’s bed at baby Bryson - not even 2 hours old and fast asleep.

He’s so tiny, and so perfect, his soft blue hat almost too big for his small head.

Rey looks up at Ben and he catches her eye, and there’s no words needed between them.

They know they’ll be back here in a week and all things going well, they’ll have 3 perfect babies to take home with them a few days later.

Rose looks exhausted, Rey whispering to Ben that they won’t stay long, knowing firsthand how exhausting those first few hours with a newborn can be.

Rey places a kiss on Rose’s cheek, doing her best to give her a hug across the bed.

‘Rose’ Rey breathes, her friend smiling back at her. ‘He’s perfect’

Rose nods. ‘He really is, isn’t he?’

‘How are you feeling? Everything ok?’

Rose nods, a lets out a yawn. ‘Yeah, better than I thought I’d be actually. But I'm sooo exhausted'

Rey nods in understanding. She knows.

‘We won’t stay long, we just wanted to say hi and see your little guy’

‘You did so good, girlfriend’

Rey takes her hand and strokes it gently. ‘We’ll let you get some sleep and we’ll see you when you get home, ok?’

‘Thank you Rey. _And_ Ben’ she says, glancing over to Finn and Ben by the crib. ‘I really appreciate you getting us here tonight’

‘Sorry I spoiled dinner’

They all laugh, Ben shaking his head. ‘Nothing is ever ruined when it results in…well, this’ he says, motioning to the crib.

Rey heads over and grabs his hand. ‘You’re absolutely right’

‘Although, we’d better go’

They take one more look at the newest addition to the Cooper family before heading for the door.

‘Please let me know if you need anything in the next few days. Ben packed a bag but, you know…’ She steals a glance at her handsome husband.

Ben makes a face. ‘Hey. If it’s not in there, Rose…you don’t need it’

Rose smiles with another yawn. ‘Thank you guys, really. I love you both’

‘We love you too girl. Now, get some rest ok?’

Just as they’re about to leave Rose pipes up. ‘Next time we see you guys, _we’ll_ be visiting _you_ ’

‘Although’ Rose steals a glance at Finn ‘We might wait a day or two, because you’ll be 3 times as exhausted no doubt’

Rey and Ben look at each other and smile, then look back to Rose.

‘Gee, don’t remind me’ Rey says, grabbing Ben’s hand. ‘Speaking of which, we’d better get home and sleep now because we won’t be getting much sleep for the next few weeks’

Ben’s eyes go wide, and he opens the door for Rey, his hand at her back.

They whisper their goodbyes and close the door behind them, making their way back down to the ground floor.

The elevator ride is mostly silent, their hands linked, both of them lost in thought about their own impending arrivals.

 

Back at home Ben removes the couch cover and throws it into the wash before changing for bed, Rey using the bathroom before climbing in to join him.

She rolls over onto her side and pulls him into her, snuggling her back into his front.

‘What a night, huh?’

Ben sighs into her skin. ‘Yeah, what a night’

‘Didn’t see that one coming’

Rey laughs, Ben’s arm draping over her, his hand on her belly.

'Little Bryson is so adorable, Ben' Rey coos, smiling to herself. 'I hope we get at least one boy this time. Don't you?’

Ben drops his head to her neck, breathing into her skin as he talks. ‘You know, I only really started thinking about that last week’

‘I only want them to all be healthy Rey, that’s all I really want…’

She waits.

‘But now that you mention it…yeah, I’d love at least _one_ boy. Shit, I’d be unlucky to get 3 more girls…’

‘5 girls to _one_ guy?! Oh god. Doesn’t even bear thinking about…’

‘And the weddings down the track? We’ll be broke’

Rey turns her head back to catch his gaze, her finger tracing the shell of his ear.

‘Just relax, babe’ she says with a laugh, trying to calm his nerves. ‘We might even get 3 boys yet’

It’s the first time she’s heard him say out loud though, that he wants a son, although she always figured it'd be the case.

 

And if any of their babies _did_ turn out to be boys, Rey just knew they’d be as handsome and wonderful as Ben.

 ** _Oh god. 3 boys?!_** she thinks, snuggling down into the mattress, Ben holding her tight as he attempts to put the frightening thought of 3 more girls out of his mind.

**We could have three future Solo heartbreakers on our hands.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for sticking with my little story!  
> Life is about to change forever for our favourite couple. Will it be smooth sailing, or is this 'not going to go the way you think'?!  
> Stay tuned. Love you all!!  
> Gem x


	8. Crazy, beautiful life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Solo family goes from 3 to 6 as the big three arrive!

Rey rolls over for the hundredth time, her pregnant belly making her feel more beached whale than human female.

She stretches her arm out blindly beside her with a groan, trying to feel for Ben…but his side of the bed is eerily empty.

She squints into the darkness at the clock on the TV cabinet.

**_2.58am_ **

Her bladder is awake too it seems, reminding her that it’s currently dealing with the weight of 3 little human beings, so she sleepily gets up to revisit the bathroom… _again_.

It’s her last night (now morning) of her second pregnancy and as hard as it’s been, she’s not sure she’s ready to let their massive bump go. But at the same time, her c-section can’t come soon enough.

Turning the light off and closing the door to the bathroom behind her, she notices the soft light emanating from Hope’s room down the hallway.

**_Ben._ **

Smiling to herself she waddles down the hallway, poking her head inside the door which is already half open.

She could cry at the sight she sees – her wonderful husband, who’s been her anchor amongst the storm of the last 8 months, rocking gently in her feeding chair by Hope’s crib, one leg crossed over the opposite knee.

He’s flipping through the pages of an album, but she can’t quite see what it is. She’s careful not to startle him as she waddles up behind.

He looks up when he sees her there and his face shows concern. He reaches out for her hand, speaking in a low whisper, careful not to wake their sleeping daughter.

‘Honey? What are you doing awake?’

Rey attempts to sit on his knee, but she’s not as light as she used to be. Ben being the wonderful husband he is stands to let her sit before kneeling beside her with the album cradled in his lap.

It’s Hope’s baby album, and Rey wonders how long he’s been awake.

‘What are _you_ doing awake?’ she whispers. ‘Everything ok?’

Ben smiles back at her. ‘You’re concerned about me? I’m concerned about _you_ ’

Rey laughs and rests her hand on his to let him know she’s ok. ‘I’m fine. Just woke up for the bathroom… _again_ ’

Ben smiles sympathetically. ‘Oh, that’

‘Yeah, that’ she laughs again. ‘Looking forward to having my normal bladder back shortly, that’s for sure’

‘I bet’ Ben smiles and re-opens the album to flip through the pages, sighing when he reaches the early photos of Hope’s time in hospital.

He shakes his head as he studies the pics, reading the captions below. ‘God babe, I forgot how tiny she was. Where does the time go?’

Another deep sigh. ‘She’ll be in College soon’

Rey groans and leans back in the chair. ‘Please stop scaring me’

Ben flips to the photos of Han with Hope, his father’s beaming smile causing tears to prick in his eyes.

‘I wish Mom could’ve seen her grow up…’ he trails off, and Rey can sense his tears.

He doesn’t cry much but when he does, he tries to hide it. She wishes he felt comfortable enough to cry in front of her, so she affectionately ruffles his hair to comfort him. ‘Me too, babe. Me too’

‘She’s looking down on us though’

‘It’s just that at least she knew about Hope, you know? She doesn’t even know about these three’

He sniffs and closes the album, placing it back on the shelf to come around to stand behind the chair. He leans down over her and his arms come around her shoulders as he stares at Hope's crib. ‘It still blows my mind that we actually _made her_ ’

Rey tilts her head back to look up at him with a smile. ‘I know, right? _And_ we made three more’ she finishes, patting her belly.

Ben looks a little impressed with himself, squeezing her shoulders tight. ‘We did good, Momma. We did real good’

In the last week or so Ben’s started affectionately calling her _Momma_. At first she was taken aback, but now she finds it romantic, and maybe a little…sexy.

Ben kneels again, this time in front of her feet. ‘Are they moving? Can I feel them?’

Rey’s reminded that tomorrow her massive bump will have mostly disappeared, and this could be the last time they have to feel their babies growing inside her.

‘I think they’re asleep Ben, but here’ Rey lifts her sleep shirt, grabbing his hand to rest it gently on her stomach.

Even with his large hand, it only spans around a quarter of her bump. He shifts up on his knees and places his other hand alongside it, leaning down to plant a soft kiss near her protruding belly button.

‘Hey little guys’ he whispers against her taught skin, peering up at Rey with a wink. ‘Or girls’

Rey lays back, cocking her head to watch him. She’s enjoying this distraction from her upcoming procedure, starting to feel the nerves return and trying to think of literally _anything else_.

‘What if it _is_ 3 more girls, Ben?’

Ben’s eyes go wide, and he sits back on his heels, relaxing his hands on her. ‘Honestly? I’d be seriously outnumbered for a start…’

‘Just a little. Like…5 to 1’, Rey teases him.

‘Now you’re just being mean’ He screws his face up. ‘Look, I’ll be happy with whatever, you know that. They’re our kids, and that’s all I care about’

‘I’ll love them regardless’

Rey knows he will, but deep down she’s hoping they have at least _one_ boy because she dearly wants her husband to have a son.

She’s also imagining all the cute little boys’ clothes she can buy…

Ben stands to stretch his arms above his head, yawning. ‘C’mon. We’d better get you back to bed. You’ve got a big day tomorrow’

Rey groans long and low. ‘You mean _today?_ ’ Ben grabs her under the arms to pull her out of the chair.

‘Yeah, today. Also, don’t groan at me. You know it turns me on’

Rey laughs and peers up at him, flicking a loose hair from her face. ‘Does a beached whale really turn you on?’

He bends down to nuzzle into her. ‘Mm hm’ he whispers into her neck. ‘Like you wouldn’t believe’

She giggles at the ticklish feel of his breath on her, pulling his lips to hers for a kiss.

It’s not the same as their goodnight kisses of late, it’s a deep romantic kiss with a hint of tongue and it’s the most action either of them have had in a _long_ time.

It’s nice.

And if Rey wasn’t the size of a house, she’d be dragging him back to bed and ripping his clothes off, but unfortunately that’ll have to wait at least 6 more weeks yet.

Ben gives their daughter a kiss goodnight because Rey can’t reach that far down, closing the door on their way out. Back in their room, Rey makes the difficult climb back into bed with Ben’s help and they snuggle down under the covers.

Ben rolls to face her and rests his hand on her belly again, Rey laying on her back with her eyes fluttering closed.

He yawns loudly, snuggling into her. ‘Get some sleep, baby. It’s early’ Rey laughs. He’s right, it’s damn early – almost 4am in fact.

‘Love you’ he whispers as his eyes close and his breathing settles into a sleepy rhythm.

‘Love you too’ she whispers back into the darkness.

 

~~~~~~

 

‘Dad? What are you doing?’

Han looks up from the couch and the small piles of clothes he has laid out. ‘Shit, kid. You scared me’

Ben had snuck into his parents' house with Hope to find his Dad in their lounge room among multiple bags of clothes. He lowers Hope to the floor and she crawls to the couch, pulling herself up.

‘Uh uh, baby…don’t touch’ Hope looks up at the sound of Ben’s voice, her little hand reaching toward one of the piles.

‘ _Hope_ ’ he says, more sternly this time.

‘Here, she can have this’ Han grabs a rattle from one of the bags and hands it to her, Hope plonking down to happily shake the noisy toy while they talk.

‘We kept all these, you know’ Han gestures to the piles of clothes and the pairs of infant shoes.

‘Are these all mine?’ Ben leans down to pick up a tiny sweater he’s sure he recognises. ‘Damn, I was so small once’

Han lets out a hearty laugh, his gaze travelling the length of his tall, broad son. ‘Yeah, once. Geez, you’re taller than me these days’

Ben ruffles his hair affectionately and his father slaps his hand away.

‘Where did you find these?’

‘In the back of our closet. I think your mother was saving these in case you had a boy of your own one day’

Ben stares at his childhood lined up in front of him, cocking his head at some of the sweaters. ‘I wasn’t very fashionable, was I?’ he says with a huffed laugh.

‘Hey! Watch it. These colours were _all_ in fashion back then, ya know. Your mother only wanted the best of everything for you, of course. Being the only child…’

Ben reaches down to pick up a small pair of short denim overalls with a teddy bear imprinted on the bib. ‘Fashionable in denim? Really Dad?’

His father stares at the memories of tiny Ben and he can’t help but get emotional, snatching them from his hand. ‘These were your mother’s favourite, I’ll have you know. She loved these on you’

‘She said they showed off your cute chubby legs’

‘Dear god’ Ben huffs, shaking his head. ‘Don’t ever let Rey hear you say that…she’ll never let me forget it’

His father continues reminiscing. ‘I remember when you were just walking you lived in these things…’

Ben can now see how much they mean to his parents. Even if he doesn’t see the value in them right now, it’s nice that his mother held on to all of these for him when she could just as easily have dumped them all at Goodwill.

He can’t help but laugh at all the shoes, picking up a tiny pair of blue leather sandals which look even smaller in his massive hand.

‘You went through shoes like diapers. Always crawling the toes out of them’ his father remarks.

He stares at the particular pair in Ben’s hand, suddenly lost in thought. Ben waves his hand in front of his face to get his attention, and he looks up with a little ‘ _huh’_

‘What?’

‘It’s just funny that the only two things you’ve picked up were your mother’s favourites of yours’

‘Really?’ Ben places the sandal back down with its pair, a sudden sadness rushing over him. ‘That’s so weird…’

‘I’d say it’s meant to be’

‘So, what are you gonna do with all of these?’

Ben steals a glance to make sure Hope’s ok. She’s currently amusing herself with the corner of the large floor rug, pulling it up and dropping it down over and over. Small things amuse small minds, it would seem.

‘They’re for you. If you want them? And if you don’t have a boy this time, then maybe next time…’

‘ _Next time?!_ ’

‘Shit Dad, that definitely won’t be happening. It’s definitely a double condom job from now on, lemme tell you’

Han chuckles. ‘Yeah, sure, kid. That’s what they all say’

‘No, I’m serious. No more kids. We’re done’

‘Have you talked to Rey about this?’

‘Of course. Dad, she’s about to have three newborns at once, I’m pretty sure she won’t change her mind about this’

‘You sure about that?’

Han’s just teasing, Ben knows that, and although Rey agrees _this is it_ for them – what if one day she _does_ change her mind?

That thought frankly scares Ben to death and he’s suddenly feeling anxious about everything.

‘Ok, you can quit teasing. You got some coffee brewing or what? I’ve never needed it more than I do right now’

‘And I need to make sure you’ve got everything for Hope this week’ He moves to the suitcase he’d bought in with him, bending down and flipping the lid open, Hope crawling over to inspect what he’s looking at.

He studies its contents. ‘Well there’s heaps of baby food here, plenty of clothes and diapers…I think I’ve got enough?’

He lifts his head. ‘Should I have packed more diapers maybe? You’ve got some?’

‘And the pram? Did you ever get that wheel fixed? She loves being outside, so try and take her out as often as you can. She loves the fresh air and sunshine-‘

Han takes a deep breath and places a gentle hand on his son’s shoulder. ‘Ben, relax. You’re making _me_ nervous’

Ben stares back at him blankly.

‘I have plenty of diapers, spare clothes. We’re covered, don’t worry. And if I need anything, I’ll let you know’

‘I fixed the pram and it might amaze you to know, but stores are open 24 hours these days if we _do_ need anything’

Ben sinks down on the armrest of the couch. ‘Yeah…right’ He looks over at Hope, smiling to himself, because deep down he knows it’ll all be ok.

But there’s just so much to think about - so much to remember.

‘We’ll be fine, won’t we princess?’ Han picks Hope up and throws his granddaughter into the air, her childish laughter instantly making Ben feel more at ease.

‘Sorry. I’m just nervous’

‘Course you are, kid. You’re about to have triplets…it’d be weird if you _weren’t_ nervous’

**_Triplets._ **

**_Right._ **

Ben turns his focus to Rey, checking his watch. ‘Our appointment is at 3 this afternoon, but I’ll message you as soon as I get the chance and…all going well you can come tonight for a visit’

‘But that’ll depend on everything going well, of course’

He looks back to Han who’s still occupied with Hope. ‘Dad? Are you even listening?’

‘Yeah kid, I heard you’ He places Hope down and she begins crawling towards the kitchen, Han following her. ‘You’ll call me’

Han gestures to Hope. ‘Looks like she knows you need your coffee’

Hope’s in the kitchen with Han before Ben can blink, but he follows close behind. Han scoops her up and straps her into her high chair with a rusk, Ben sinking down on a dining chair.

‘Black, please’

Han stares back at him with a confused expression. ‘Since when do you drink your coffee black?’

‘Since I’m about to be a father of 4’

Han laughs. ‘Fair enough’

‘How’s Rey feeling?’

‘Pretty good all things considered’ he answers, standing to retrieve the rusk that Hope’s just thrown over the side of the high chair. ‘She’s a bit nervous about the procedure but apart from that, I think she’s excited’

Han retrieves the rusk the second time it drops, before sitting to take a long sip from his mug. ‘And, what about you?’

Ben considers his answer. ‘Yeah, I’m excited. I’m hoping for a boy though, and I’m trying to put that out of my mind because I don’t want to be too disappointed if it doesn’t happen’

‘Boys are nothing but trouble, Ben…you don’t want one, trust me’ Han says with a wink.

‘Hey, I wasn’t that bad’ Ben turns to look at his father. ‘Was I?’

‘You had your moments’

They share a laugh at that.

‘No, you weren’t that bad. And I’ll be honest…I’m hoping you’ll get at least one boy’

Ben raises his coffee cup and clinks it with Han’s, the two of them turning to Hope when she drops the rusk a third time, Ben shaking his head. ‘She’s probably not hungry, she ate before we got here’

He glances at his watch again. ‘I’d better get going. I’ve gotta get a few things on the way home, then make sure Rey gets to the hospital on time’

Placing his cup in the sink, he bends down to say goodbye to Hope. ‘Now, you be a good girl for gramps, ok?’ He moves some stray hair from her face and gives her a long kiss on the cheek.

‘And enjoy the time by yourself…cause you’re about to have three other siblings you’ll have to share with’

Hope giggles obliviously and begins banging her tiny hands on the high chair tray.

‘She really has no idea, poor thing’

Ben retrieves his jacket from the hook by the front door, returning to the lounge to grab the bag of clothes before heading back to the kitchen. His Dad grabs his free hand to give it a firm shake. ‘Good luck, kid. Hope it all goes well’

‘And don’t worry about us, we’ll be fine’

A handshake just doesn’t seem to cut it this time, after all his Dad has done for his little family. Ben can’t help it, moving in to hug him tight. ‘Thanks, Dad. I’ll let you know as soon as I can’

 

~~~~~~

  
Ben makes a quick stop at the shops before heading home to Rey, and just his luck he comes across a set of triplets at the supermarket.

Why is it when something is happening to you, you tend to notice it more? He’s always found that weird.

This set of triplets is 3 little girls, of course, and they’re playing tag in the supermarket aisle. They must be about 3 or 4 Ben figures, one of them bumping into his leg as he’s scanning the shelf for the exact baby wipes on Rey’s list.

‘Sorry mister’ the culprit mutters as she races to the other end of the aisle to catch up with her two faster sisters.

Ben laughs to himself, wondering where their parents are. The frantic woman that comes down the aisle shortly after answers that question. ‘I assume 3 little girls went running this way?’ she asks him in between breathless puffing.

Ben nods with a sympathetic smile.  

‘Lacey, Elly and Molly, you get back here right this minute’ the woman calls out over the aisle, three sheepish girls with heads lowered making their way begrudgingly back to her.

**_Impressive._ **

Ben only hopes he can have that sort of control over his three one day.

‘You will hold onto this trolley and you will _not_ let go until we’re back at the car, do you all understand me?’

Three little heads nod in agreement, one girl pushing her little sister in the side. Three little hands make contact with the trolley and the woman turns to head back the way she came, daughters in tow.

Ben can’t help but ask before she disappears. ‘Mind if I ask for some advice?’

She looks at him with confusion. ‘Oh, I’m Ben by the way. Soon to the father of triplets…’ her eyebrows raise in surprise. ‘As in, later today’

‘Oh my. Well, congratulations Ben. Advice, huh?’ she mulls, glancing down at three pairs of mischievous eyes. And in an instant, one girl takes off – quickly followed by the other two.

The mother rolls her eyes and heads after them, shouting back at him. ‘The only advice I have is…I hope you can run fast, Ben! Good luck!’

And with that, they’re gone.

Lucky for Ben he’s always been a pretty good runner, but he hopes his brood will be so well-behaved that he won’t ever have to run after them in the supermarket.

**_Hey, a guy can dream._ **

****

 

~~~~~~

 

Rey’s resting on the couch with her feet up when he arrives home, looking far too peaceful for a woman who’s about to give birth in a few hours.

He smiles at the sight of her. Sitting his shopping bags on the dining table, he walks over to lift her legs and sits next to her on the couch.

He pulls her legs into his lap and begins to massage her swollen ankles and feet, Rey softly moaning at the feel of his hands on her.

‘Enjoying the calm before the storm?’

She props herself up on her elbows. ‘Mm. Hasn’t been this quiet for a while, has it?’

Her head sinks backwards against the arm rest as he continues to work at her feet. ‘Oh god, that feels so good’

‘Guess we should just enjoy it while it lasts, huh? Because in a few hours…’

Rey doesn’t need to finish that sentence – both of them well aware that their life is about to change _forever_.

 

~~~~~~

 

It’s time.

Ben helps Rey into their larger SUV (they'd purchased another new one needing more room for the larger pram and their 4 children) which is no mean feat in her current state, before throwing her bag and essentials into the back, the three baby capsules lining the middle seat a stark reminder of what’s ahead.

He clambers into the driver’s seat and helps his wife buckle her seatbelt before fixing his own. By some miracle, they’ve even got time up their sleeve.

They’ve been told to arrive at 1pm for their 3pm procedure, with Rey requiring foetal monitoring and final details to run through. Thankfully their local hospital is adequately equipped for multiple births, so they won’t have to transfer the babies to another hospital for special care once they’re born.

Ben’s asked to wait outside until Rey’s spinal has been completed and then he’s allowed into the delivery suite.

If they were hoping for a small, intimate delivery they were sadly mistaken. Ben had never seen so many people crammed into their tiny, sterile operating room.

It’s crowded to say the least.

 A full medical team, specialist obstetrician and paediatrician are on hand, plus a nurse for each baby. Plus Rey of course, and Ben.

Ben – who’s determined to try and stay upright this time.

He’d fainted when they found out they were expecting triplets, but he’ll be damned if he’s going to miss a second of this once in a lifetime moment.

It’s just after 3pm and Rey is fully prepped and ready for surgery, Ben kitted up in his sexy surgical assistant gear.

He holds Rey’s hand as she lays there looking up at him, bending down to get closer. He can tell she’s scared, and he can’t blame her one bit. If it was _him_ on that table, he knows he’d be shitting himself.

‘I love you baby. And I’m right here, ok?’

‘Love you too’ is her soft reply.

Rey closes her eyes even though she can’t see what’s happening with the medical sheet pulled up in front of her.

Ben can see Rey but he can also see over the sheet so he can choose what he’s looking at, although he can’t bear to watch as they make the initial cut.

He’s never been good with blood, but this? This is about as gruesome as it gets – seeing someone cutting into your pregnant wife’s stomach.

**_What if they cut one of the babies?_ **

Ben thinks he might throw up if he thinks about everything that could go wrong, so he turns his attention back to Rey.

Squeezing her hand, he reassures her constantly until their first triplet is delivered - the soft, strangled cry breaking the quiet of the room.

‘It’s a girl’

‘Ben, would you like to cut the cord?’

Ben wants to but he also doesn’t want to leave Rey, her hand still squeezing his tightly. So he politely declines, having cut one already once in is life, deciding to hang on to Rey instead.

A tiny baby girl appears before them, held up briefly over the sheet in the arms of one of the nurses. Ben realises at that moment that he wasn’t prepared for just how _small_ they’d be.

Sure, he’d admired Rey’s stomach often and wondered how they all fit in there but seeing his child so _tiny and helpless_ – he wasn’t sure anything could prepare him for that.

He was almost certain he’d be able to fit his newborn daughter into his own large hand, and he couldn’t quite get his head around that.

She’s whisked away by a nurse before they even get a good look at her, and as soon as she’s being taken care of the next one arrives.

‘Another girl’

Ben takes a deep breath and looks back to Rey, a resigned smile on his face. ‘I’m in real trouble here, aren’t I?’

Rey can’t help but offer a small smile herself, Ben surprised she doesn’t seem to be in much pain at all.

**_Hard drugs are truly awesome._ **

‘Seriously outnumbered’ she mumbles back, and she’s damn well right.

Their second tiny baby is presented to them briefly before being taken away, both nurses frantically checking the health of their newborns, the two tiny babies crying in unison.

‘They’ve got good lungs, that’s for sure’ Ben winks at Rey. He bends down again to talk to her. ‘Are you in any pain?’

Rey shakes her head. ‘I can feel movement in there, but no pain, if that makes sense? It’s weird’

Weird he can handle. His wife in pain? That would break his heart.

There’s some whispered conversation between the operating staff while they await the arrival of their third, Ben’s heart pounding in his chest.

**_This is it._ **

**_My last chance for a son to carry on the Solo name._ **

‘What’s going on?’ Rey asks. He’d answer her if he could, but the truth is he has no idea why this is taking so long.

Bravely stealing a glance over the sheet, he immediately regrets it. He can’t see _much_ , but what he does see he won’t be forgetting in any hurry.

‘I’m not sure babe…but I think everything’s…fine?’ he says, glancing at the faces on the other side of the sheet - although he can’t really hear what they’re saying with their mouths covered by surgical masks.

One muttered word does stand out though – _stubborn_.

Rey can’t help but think this one _must_ be a boy…

And luckily for Ben, after some prodding and pulling, ‘It’s a boy’ is announced from the other side of the sheet, Ben debating whether to gratefully kiss his wife or steal a brief glance at his firstborn son – the second option winning out ** _._**

He’s held up with the nurses’ hand over his privates so Ben can’t assess that part just yet, but he can’t help cringing when he sees that the poor kid has his ears.

**_Shit. Sorry kid._ **

Ben just wants to scoop all 3 of them up in his arms and take them home to cuddle them forever, but he knows that was never going to be the case.

The three nurses are looking after them now, so Ben makes sure Rey is ok. ‘Two girls and a boy, huh?’

He strokes her head gently. ‘You did so good, baby’

Rey smiles back at him. ‘Are they ok? Are they cute?’

Ben laughs. ‘Babe, they’re a product of you and I…hell yeah they’re adorable’

He bends down to give her a kiss as the nurse comes over to speak with them. ‘They’re all healthy, but they’re a little underweight, which is pretty normal at this stage of pregnancy’

‘We’ll need to transfer them to the neonatal unit for a week or so, until we can be sure they’re strong enough to go home. Did the Dr explain this to you beforehand?’

Ben nods. ‘She did, and we knew that would most likely be the case. Any idea _exactly_ how long they’ll be in here?’

The nurse shrugs. ‘It depends on their progress, but we usually say anywhere from 11 days to a month’

Ben prays it won’t be a month.

‘Can I see them before they’re moved?’ He asks hopefully, glancing at Rey.

The nurse hesitates. ‘Hm. Only really quickly’

She leads Ben over to where their three precious babies are now finishing up their assessments, the nurse explaining what’s going on.

‘They’ve all had their Apgar scores assessed and we’ve footprinted them. We’re tagging them and thankfully for you your girls aren’t 100% identical, so you should be able to tell them apart relatively easily’

**_Phew._ **

Ben stares down at the three newest additions to the Solo family – babies A, B and C.

They’re so tiny and pink, the faintest of dark hair present on all three of their heads, his son born with significantly more than his girls.

Ben can’t help but laugh and run a hand through his own long hair. ‘He definitely got that from me’ he muses to the other nurses, and they agree.

He reaches out to touch them, quickly realising he only has two hands. And two arms.

It occurs to him then that unfortunately he won’t ever really be able to handle all 3 together, unless it’s bundled in his lap when he’s sitting.

And then there’s Hope.

**_Need a few more arms._ **

‘We have to move them now’

He’s barely had any time with them but he knows he has to let the staff do their thing, and he wants to get back to Rey, so he takes another look at all 3 of them before they’re bundled off to the NICU.

He notices one of his girls has a small birthmark on her neck and the other one doesn’t, thankful he’ll be able to use that to tell them apart later on.

It takes a while to close Rey up with dissolving stitches, Ben never leaving her side, and then she’s wheeled into the recovery ward.

‘Are you sure they ok?’ she asks in a hushed voice as they move her bed into her new room, and he reassures her they are.

‘They’re perfect babe. A little underweight like the nurse said, but they all look healthy…from what I could see’

‘I’m sure they would’ve told us by now if there was anything wrong’

Rey looks completely out of it now and Ben can’t even imagine how tired and exhausted she must be – he just prays to every living god he knows that she’s not in any pain.

 

~~~~~~

 

The next thing Rey knows, she’s waking up in a darkened room with Ben asleep in the chair next to her bed, his long legs tucked up under the chair and his hair hanging over his face.

It takes her a few minutes to look around the room and realise she’s in hospital, her head fuzzy and her mind a daze.

And pain - she’s in pain. And to top it off, she feels incredibly nauseous.

She goes to sit up and cries out, a sharp sting radiating across her entire belly.

Ben startles when he hears her, his eyes flying open and his large frame rushing to her side. ‘Rey? You’re awake’

‘Are you in pain?’

She doesn’t want to worry him, but she has to be honest. ‘Yes’ she whispers, blowing out a few long breaths to try and ease the stabbing pain in her stomach.

‘What time is it?’

Ben glances at his watch. ‘Just after 9. You’ve been asleep for a few hours’

‘The babies?’

Ben’s brow creases. ‘They’re in the NICU, remember? They’ll be there for a week or more’

Ben wonders just how much she remembers about the birth, as she seems rather out of it. ‘Are you sure you’re ok? Do you want me to call someone?’

Rey lies still, careful not to move too much. ‘Maybe some more pain relief’

Ben presses the button above her head without hesitation, walking out to the open door to glance down the hallway for a nurse, and luckily there’s one close by.

‘Rey’s in pain, is there something more you can give her?’

The nurse checks her chart and administers some additional pain relief before leaving them to it. Ben knows they’re all under pressure and overworked, but it’d be nice if they’d spend a bit more time…caring?

The rest of the night is a blur for Rey. She recalls someone coming and asking Ben if she wants to see one of their babies, but Ben obviously notices she’s too out of it to really remember anything, so he declines.

Once she drifts off for a while, he steals some time to head to the NICU to check of them briefly, their tiny bodies hooked up to all sorts of monitoring and feeding machines. He’s assured they’re doing well so he doesn’t stay too long, deciding he should spend his time with Rey instead.

He’d packed a book into his hospital bag, so he settles on the couch and flips it open, stealing glances at Rey every time he hears a noise.

**_At least while she’s asleep she’s not in pain._ **

Then it hits him that he hasn’t even messaged anyone to let them know they’re ok, and most importantly that the babies are here. He pulls out his phone and sits the book aside, heading out into the hallway opposite Rey’s room to make a quick phone call.

Han answers after a few rings and it’s great timing, his Dad mentioning he was just about to head to bed. ‘Well! Congratulations you two’

‘A boy, huh? That’s great, Ben’

**_Yeah. It really is._ **

‘And Rey’s ok?’

‘Uh..she’s asleep right now, but she woke up awhile ago and she was in a bit of pain so…time will tell’

‘Well, let me know if you need anything at all, ok? How long will they need to stay in the NICU?

Ben yawns and rub his eyes with his hand. ‘About 11 days, I think. At this stage’

‘Wow, ok. Well, at least they’re in the best of care. That’s all that matters’

‘Yeah, absolutely. Ok Dad, I’d better get back to Rey. How’s Hope doing? She’s not too much trouble?’

‘No trouble at all. We had dinner and she’s fast asleep and completely oblivious’

Ben smiles and yawns again. ‘Great. Well, thank you. I’d better get back’

‘Alright. Congratulations again and I’m here if you need me. Try and get some rest if you can’

Ben bids his Dad farewell and returns to the chair beside Rey’s bed, but his reading doesn’t last long, his eyes struggling to stay open.

He must fall asleep because the next thing he knows it’s light in the room and Rey’s awake again.

One of their little girls is wheeled in for a brief visit that first day, but Rey still seems out of it, hardly paying her much attention. Ben helps fill that void, talking to her and even singing to her when Rey’s asleep.

She has the prettiest eyes, just like her mother, and her little hat is far too big for her tiny head, slipping down a bit further every time she moves.

Ben could stare at her for hours, but Rey seems less than interested, although he’s sure that’ll change once she’s feeling better.

He fields calls and responds to text messages once the word gets out, his phone full of congratulations and well wishes, bright bunches of flowers beginning to fill their small room.

Day 2 is slightly more eventful, but not in a good way. The nurses attempt to get Rey to stand, advising her that she needs to start moving again, even though she still has her IV and catheter attached.

Ben watches on helplessly as a nurse stands either side of Rey and helps her from the bed, Rey wincing in pain with each movement.

Ben doesn’t know what to do. He can’t really help, and he can’t take the pain away, and it’s one of the hardest things he’s had to endure – knowing Rey is in excruciating pain and he can do nothing.

She takes a few steps to the chair by the bed before losing her breath, carefully sitting with the assistance of the nurses.

It’s not until they’re alone later that she tells him just how painful it really is.

‘I feel like I ripped out all my stitches’ she cringes as she recalls the ordeal. ‘I’m not sure how much more of this I can take, Ben’

‘I don’t think I can do this’

Ben kneels down next to her, stroking her hand. ‘You can babe, I know you can’

‘I hate that you’re in pain, but the nurse said that should ease the more you move so…we just need to keep you moving ok?’

Rey looks close to tears. ‘But that’s when it hurts the most’

He strokes her arm and reassures her again. ‘I know baby, but you’re doing so well. And just think, a few more days and you’ll be out of here’

It’s then that she starts to cry, all the emotion of the last few days finally hitting her. ‘But I don’t want to leave without them, Ben’

‘I need to see them’

Ben nods and stands. ‘Ok. I’ll go and find a nurse. I’ll be right back’

Rey’s permitted to see them but standing from the chair is another painful episode and sitting in the wheelchair is much the same.

Rey just wants to curl up into a ball and die from the constant pain, but the moment she’s wheeled into the room to see her triplets, that all fades away.

It’s frightening to see them hooked up to so many machines, but the nurse guides her to each one and she finally gets to see them properly.

‘Ben’ she breathes. ‘They’re _so tiny_ ’

Ben crouches down by her side, his hand reaching in to touch his baby girl. ‘Aren’t they? But they’re doing really well the nurse said’

Her husband’s finger looks so massive against their daughter’s wrinkled hand. Rey smiles, carefully leaning forward to steal a closer look at each one, Ben pushing her chair between each crib.

Rey sees their son last of all, and the tears flow again.

Her smile could light up the entire hospital and Ben thinks he might cry, the exhaustion of the last few days finally catching up with him.

He couldn’t find the right words to describe how much this moment means to him – standing with his wife staring at their firstborn son – even if he _could_ speak.

‘Oh wow’ Rey’s whispering as she studies him, his little eyes closed. He does look peaceful, even hooked up like he is.

‘He looks just _like_ you’. Somehow Ben was hoping she may not notice, but no such luck - he knew she’d have to get a look at him eventually.

‘And he’s got your nose, and your beautiful big ears’

Ben attempts to swallow the lump in his throat, tears welling in his eyes. ‘I know. Poor kid’

‘No’ Rey shakes her head, and turns to smile up at him, her hand reaching for his. ‘He’s a handsome devil, just like his father’

‘And he’s gonna be a heartbreaker this one. I can tell already’

‘Not _another_ dashing Solo boy?’ comes the gruff voice by the door, Ben turning to see his father standing there with Hope in his arms.

‘Dadda!’ Ben’s already tired and close to tears so seeing Hope after only one full night away from her doesn’t help.

‘They said it was ok to come in for a bit, if you’re up for visitors?’

Ben’s still a bit in shock, Rey talking for him. ‘Yes, absolutely. Come in’

‘Momma’ Hope says as Han lowers her to the floor, her little hands gripping on to Rey’s leg in an attempt to hold herself upright.

Rey can’t hug her very well, so Han lifts her back up for a kiss and a quick cuddle before Ben takes over.

‘Hey baby girl’ He picks her up and moves to the humidicrib at the end of the row to introduce Hope to her new siblings.

‘Bubba’ she says cautiously, pointing down at the crib that holds her new sister.

She’s learnt a few new words recently and Ben’s glad she’s picked up on the important ones – the nights of Rey teaching her about the baby in her tummy obviously paying off.

‘That _is_ a bubba, Hope. The one that was in Mommy’s tummy, remember?’

‘And you know what?’ Hope looks at him with inquisitive eyes. ‘This is your new little sister’

She doesn’t really understand of course so she doesn’t react much, stealing another glance down at the small child.

‘And, that’s not all’ Ben walks her to the next crib, pointing the other two out. ‘Not only do you have one new sibling, but there’s also 2 more’

Except Hope couldn’t be less interested in the other two as she’s spotted the massive teddy bear on the chair in the corner of the room – the official NICU teddy bear. And now she’s struggling to get out of his arms to get over to it.

Han takes her from Ben and walks her over to the bear so she can pat its soft fur, Rey smiling on as she watches, a small yawn escaping her.

‘Do you want to go back to you room? I can take you if-‘

‘No’ she replies quickly. ‘I need to stay a bit longer’

Ben understands. He’s hardly seen them himself, but it’s been worse for Rey, and every trip to and from the NICU means more pain.

So they stay with Hope and Han, Han filling them in on the previous night. Hope was restless and kept him up most of the night, so that’s not great news but Han assures them she’s been angel the rest of the day.

They don’t stay long, Rey and Ben saying a tearful goodbye to Hope before she leaves, with Han making a promise to come back and visit the following day.

 

The following few days are much the same, with trips to the NICU and time spent in Rey’s room, reading and talking. It’s been nice in a way, just the two of them and all this time to talk, but Ben knows the hardest part is still to come.

Luckily one of the ladies in Rey’s multiple birth group had warned her about the thing no-one talks about – how hard it’ll be to leave your three babies in the hospital when you’re finally discharged.

Rey isn’t looking forward to it at all so hearing the nurse say ‘you can go home tomorrow’ raises her anxiety through the roof. Ben is at her bedside in a flash.

He sits gently on the bed beside her, pulling her into him. ‘Babe, I know this is going to be hard on you but just remember….it’s only for a week or so and then they’ll be home with us forever’

‘And I’m here, ok. The whole time – I’ll be here’

Rey can already feel the tears building again, although her husbands’ words are reassuring.

‘This is the part I was dreading, although I’ll be happy to go home at last’ She smiles at him. ‘And I _am_ looking forward to our own comfortable bed’

‘That’s the spirit’ Ben’s trying to remain upbeat, as hard as it’s been. ‘And you’ll be back everyday to see them. We’re not that far away’

Rey nods. She knows she has no choice – it has to be done, whether she likes it or not.

 

Turns out it’s much harder than she ever dreamed it would be. She visits the triplets in the NICU one more time before they leave, and she can’t bear to tear herself away.

Ben grits his teeth and finally pushes her wheelchair out despite her protests, tears streaming down her face.

She’s still crying while he packs up their things, but she’s silent as he discards the dying flowers. Rey wants to take the balloons home with her, so he gets a nurse to carry those for him, his arms already well and truly full.

The staff at the hospital have been exceptional under the circumstances, and they reassure Rey that their babies are getting stronger everyday and will be home before she knows it, but it doesn’t make it any easier.

She sits alone in her wheelchair, balloons in hand and bags beside her on the floor while Ben brings the car around, looking up at the EXIT sign through a flood of tears.

People pass by, some of them stare, and she feels embarrassed – but she can’t stop the tears.

This is the hardest thing she’s ever done in her life, everything else paling into insignificance to leaving her three newborns behind while she goes home without them.

Ben does what Ben does – he does his best.

He loads and bags, gifts and balloons into the car before helping Rey from her chair and into the car as carefully as he can, closing the door gently behind her and returning the chair to the nurse.

And then it’s the two of them alone again, Ben stealing a glance at the three empty capsules in the seat behind him.

He takes another deep breath, begrudgingly pulling away from the hospital parking lot.

He misses his babies already and he knows Rey feels the same, but what can they do? She’s been discharged and the babies have to stay a bit longer – it’s a simple as that.

Rey is silent on the drive home, staring aimlessly out the window. Ben doesn’t try and talk, he just lets her be, knowing she’ll talk when she’s ready.

That night is a hard one – their first real night away from their babies, with not even little Hope’s voice to break the silence of home.

Ben settles Rey onto the couch before setting about making dinner. He checks the pantry and fridge, but there’s not much to be found, neither of them having the time or energy to shop recently.

He stands in the kitchen and feels almost defeated again when there’s a knock on the door.

He opens it to a small, frail older lady. It’s Mrs Holdo from down the hall.

They know nothing about her really, except that she lives alone with her cat and her son sometimes visits and they wave hello in the hallway – but apart from that-

And yet here she is, steaming lasagne in hand and a beaming smile to greet him.

‘Ben?’

He’s taken aback. He didn’t even know she knew his name. ‘Yeah, hi’

He realises then he shouldn’t leave her out in the hallway with that huge tray in her hands. And if it isn’t the best smell in the world right now…

‘Come in, please’ He ushers her inside and she looks at him guiltily. ‘Oh, I won’t stay. I just saw you were home, and I had this lasagne in the oven and I thought…’ She trails off, Rey’s head popping up from behind the couch.

‘Oh, I’m sorry to wake you dear. But I thought you could use this more than me. I was going to freeze it but…I want you to have it’

Ben can’t believe that someone they hardly know would be so generous.

‘I know how exhausted you must be’ She steals another glance at Rey. ‘So I hope this helps’

**_It’ll help more than you could ever know._ **

There’s enough for a meal tonight – and Ben is rightly starving, hospital food _just_ not cutting it – and there’s plenty to freeze so they’ll have it on hand for the next few weeks.

She sits the foil  tray down on the bench and Ben immediately wraps his arms around her, the small woman dwarfed by his towering stature and broad shoulders.

‘Thank you. You have no idea how much this means’

He eventually lets her go and she heads towards the door. ‘No need to thank me. Just show me those beautiful babies when you get them home’

Ben laughs. ‘That’s the least we can do’

‘Thank you again’ he says as she opens the door and with a small wave, she’s gone.

Rey gingerly gets up from the couch, speaking for the first time since they got home over an hour ago.

‘That’s so nice’

Ben smiles. ‘Isn’t it? Are you hungry? I don’t know about you, but I’m gonna devour this’

Rey smiles back. ‘Mm, yes please. Smells so good’

Ben serves up two plates and Rey returns to the comfortable couch, Ben joining her. There’s not much to say, so Ben flicks the TV on and they watch aimlessly as they eat.

He can tell Rey just isn’t herself, so he helps settle her into bed for an early night, choosing to stay up a little longer messaging Finn.

He’d missed a call from his mate earlier that day at the hospital and he wants to check in.

They exchange multiple messages and he finds himself ready for bed before he knows it. They’ll be back at the hospital every day for the next week, so he’s looking forward to enjoying the silence of the childless house for as long as he can.

Rey’s asleep when he climbs in and he’s relieved to see her looking so peaceful and pain free. He kisses her forehead softly and she doesn’t stir, her breathing already settled for the night, Ben drifting off without too much trouble.

 

~~~~~~

 

The next 6 days are spent with multiple trips back and forth to the hospital, with Rey feeling more like a milking cow than a new mother, between expressing _and_ trying to breastfeed.

She finds it a real struggle to begin with, grateful for the nurses on hand to give advice and offer to help.

That’s something she won’t be getting at home, so she plans to use them to her full advantage while she can.

Ben is also there every step of the way, feeding the other baby with a bottle of expressed milk when both boobs are occupied.

Rey’s determined to feed them on the breast when she can, but she realises after the first day or two that it isn’t going to always be possible, and that some formula _every now and then_ to give her a break isn’t a bad thing, and it certainly doesn’t make her a bad mother.

She praises Ben to the nurses in the NICU one particular day when he’s out and they agree with her - he’s been _one of the best husbands they’ve ever had_ in their time - those being their exact words.

She has _no_ idea how she would’ve done this without him and as hard as it has all been, she wouldn’t change a thing.

Two days later they get the news they’ve been waiting for – their babies are strong enough to go home at last.

 _Finally_ the three baby capsules in their middle seat are occupied, and they make their way for home, Rey watching the hospital disappear in the mirror and praying she won’t be back ever again.

 

~~~~~~

 

They make a quick stop a Han’s on the way home so he can get another quick look at his new grandchildren, but mostly so Rey and Ben can see Hope. She’s won’t be coming home for another two days after it was decided that Han was enjoying the company, and that it’d also give the ‘big three’ time to hopefully settle in at home.

But if they thought life would be settled, they quickly discover that isn’t the case.

Life right now is a constant rotation of feeding and diaper changes, Rey feeling like her boobs might be about to fall off. She’s been assured she’ll find some sort of feeding rhythm soon but for now it’s hard to see the end in sight.

And it should be no surprise that the best feeder of them all is their son.

Seems he shares his father’s appetite for her boobs and as amusing as Ben thinks that is, Rey doesn’t find it so amusing when he’s hungry _all the time_.

‘Is he _still_ going?’ Ben comments with a laugh as he enters the triplets’ room with another baby cradled in his arm after a recent diaper change. He dumps the diaper bag into the bin, which with three dirty babies’ bottoms is filling up rather quickly.

Rey nods. ‘He’s certainly attached to this nipple’ she laughs. ‘He just doesn’t want to let go’

‘Smart kid. He’s not stupid’ Ben cheekily remarks as he kisses Rey’s cheek, taking a seat in the corner chair. ‘He’s getting more action than me, that’s for sure’

Rey pokes her tongue out and focuses on their boy, feeding in the rocking chair with the third baby asleep in her crib.

‘Do you think we’ll ever have sex again?’ She glances up, and Ben shakes his head.

‘Nope, nooo. That ship has well and truly sailed’

Rey can’t help but cackle. ‘I know, right? Does feel that way, but I’m sure it’ll settle down eventually’

Ben hums in thought, staring down at his baby girl. ‘Hm…hope so’

Their hungry boy finally finishes feeding and Rey burps him before putting him back to bed, Ben placing their little girl into the crib alongside his.

Three little ones in their beds - one asleep, the other two finally settling.

Ben walks over to Rey and helps her up from the chair. Getting up and down isn’t as painful as it once was, but she’s still sore and will be for a few weeks yet.

He wraps his arms around her, towering behind with his head resting on her shoulder. ‘Look at them’ he whispers with a yawn, Rey’s eyes scanning along the three cribs. ‘We’re so lucky’

‘We really are’ Rey replies, Ben sighing against her.

‘You know what I wanna do right now?’ His breath is warm on her neck, stirring feelings she hasn’t felt for a while.

‘Ben…we can’t’

He laughs softly. ‘And you say _I’m_ the horny one?’

Rey laughs.

‘No, not that. But there is something we _should_ do…’

‘Mm, what’s that?’

‘Our children need names, because we can’t call them A, B and C forever’

Rey lets her head fall back against him. ‘You’re right, we should settle on names’

‘And I’m pretty sure I know what names would suit them now, but the key will be…’

She turns her head back to meet his eyes ‘…getting you to agree’

They compare their chosen names in the brief forty-five minutes of quiet before a crying child wakes, settling on first and middle names for their two girls but disagreeing on a middle name for their son.

Saying their options out loud while Rey nurses a daughter, too sore to feed herself so using a bottle of previously expressed milk instead, they eventually settle on a first and middle name for their little boy.

  
~~~~~~  


Two days later and it’s time for Hope to return home, Ben and Rey both looking forward to having their family back under the same roof.

Han enters the apartment and lowers Hope immediately to the floor. ‘I’m getting too old for this’ he groans with a laugh, pretending to hold his back. He’s greeted with a firm handshake from his son, who takes the bags and drops them in the loungeroom.

The first thing Hope does is make a beeline for Rey after spotting her in the kitchen.

‘Momma’ she repeats excitedly as she crawls as fast as she can, pulling herself up against her mother’s legs. Ben lifts her up, as Rey still as stitches and shouldn’t be lifting anything heavy.

Then he joins their embrace, wrapping his long arms around his wife and daughter. Hope starts babbling away, probably trying to tell them all about her week away and how much she’s missed them, while they steal glances and exchange smiles, all the while pretending they understand exactly what she’s saying.

‘It’s awfully quiet in here…’ Han comments, looking around with a worried expression. ‘Did you send those three back already?’

Ben laughs. ‘Surprisingly, no. They’re actually asleep at the same time…’ he glances at Rey ‘for once. Do you want to see them?’

‘Absolutely. They got names yet?’

‘Actually, yes, they do. Come on, I’ll introduce you’

He takes Hope from Rey and carries her into the triplet’s nursery, his father and wife following close behind.

They all gather in close, each babies’ initials now proudly displayed on the end of their crib. Rey had purchased all letters of the alphabet early on in their pregnancy and although they hadn’t been painted yet she put them up anyway.

He shifts Hope on his hip. ‘Ok, so…this is Emilie Amara’

‘Ooh, I like that’ Han says with a nod. ‘Nice. It sounds….strong, or something’

Ben lets out a soft laugh. ‘Well, Amara actually means strong so…’

He moves on to the next crib, their next little girl making noises in her sleep with her slightly stuffy nose. ‘And this’ he says, turning to Hope ‘is Ava. Ava Zahra’

‘I must say I’m liking these so far’ Han says, nodding his agreement. ‘Can we go three for three?’

Ben hopes so. He moves to the last crib, his son out like a light – his behaviour a lot like his own.

Sleep, eat, repeat.

 ‘Ok. Last but not least…this is Ryan’

‘Ryan’ Han repeats. ‘I like it. Short and sweet’

Rey can’t help but chime in. ‘And you’ll never guess what the meaning of Ryan is’

She flashes a wink at her husband, who suddenly looks a little sheepish. Han shrugs, glancing at Ben then back to Rey.

‘It means descendent of the king’

He glances at Ben. ‘That’s me, yeah?’ he says jokingly, knowing full well Ben is the king in this scenario.

‘Uh, yeah…and no’

Han laughs. ‘Ok, ok. Middle name?’

‘Austin. Which means…’ he continues before Rey gets the chance ‘…majestic dignity’

Han’s eyes go wide. ‘Wow. That’s one hell of a name. But I’m sure he’ll be able to live up to it, he's a Solo after all’

He flashes a wink at Ben, and they bump fists. ‘Too right he will’ Ben announces proudly, glancing back at the three cribs, Emilie beginning to stir.

They quickly make their exit, hoping they’ll stay asleep for a bit longer but there’s a sharp cry just as Han’s getting up to leave.

Rey sighs and says goodbye, heading back to the nursery. Ben is still holding Hope and he figures she’ll be extra clingy for a while with three new siblings to contend with.

He bids his father goodbye and thanks him for all his help and babysitting prowess over the last two weeks, reality setting in as he sits down to feed Hope, and Rey enters the living room to feed Emilie.

Finn, Rose and little Bryson drop in that afternoon and end up staying for dinner, helping them devour the last of the lasagne for which Rose and Rey make a side salad while the boys wrangle the kids.

‘It’s so nice that Bryson and the triplets will get to grow up together. And Hope’ Rose muses over chopping tomatoes for the salad. ‘I hope they’ll all be really close friends’

She turns to Rey. ‘Like us, you know’

Rey nods, spinning the lettuce. ‘I hope so, too. I really do’

‘And when life gets busy’ she muses, turning to Rose. ‘Please make sure we still see each other from time to time’

‘Oh, I plan to’ Rose replies and although she means it now, making it a reality Rey figures will be much, much harder.

Because you can have the best of intentions, until life gets in the way.

Crazy, beautiful _life._  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well friends, we're getting towards the end of this story I've loved so much!! *sniff* I'm thinking this next chapter may be the last one, so I hope you've enjoyed the ride as much as I have.  
> A little note about the meanings of the names I chose for the Solo triplets:
> 
> Ryan: Descendent of the king; little king  
> Austin: Majestic dignity
> 
> Ava: Beautiful, radiant, joyful  
> Zahra: Flower
> 
> Emilie: Eager, ambitious  
> Amara: Strong; attractive; stylish
> 
> Thanks for sticking with this story - I love you all!! Xx


	9. The things you do for love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Life with 4 little ones is as hectic as expected but when a life-changing decision looms, the answer will come from the strangest of places.

‘We really need to stop doing this’

Ben’s still catching his breath as he withdraws, but he could’ve put money on the conversation that would follow with Rey informing him _again_ of what he already knows.

Rolling off he pulls himself up against the mass of pillows with a sigh and adjust the covers, knowing full well the conversation that’s about to happen. He knows it’s coming because it’s about the fourth time they’ve discussed this in the weeks they’ve been sexually active since the triplets’ were born.

This time they both happened to be horny at once and so they’d decided to indulge in a little nookie during a rare moment when all 4 kids happened to be asleep together and Rey was still able to keep her eyes open - but he still should've known this was coming.

‘Can we not do this now? Tomorrow, fine, but not now’

He knows he’s not getting out of it that easy but he figures it’s worth a try. They can’t seem to come to a resolution on the issue and all they do is go around in circles. They both agree it’s a problem that needs a solution - it’s just the solution part they’re struggling with.

‘You know we have to. We need to make a decision and we can’t keep saying this every time’

**_You can’t keep saying it, you mean. I’m fine with it._ **

Except he’s not fine with it really because he knows they’re playing with fire.

‘We’ve been lucky this far but one day soon it’ll come back and bite us, Ben. I can see it now’

He knows she’s right but that doesn’t mean he has to like it.

The last two times they’ve had sex it’s been unprotected and yet they’re both certain they don’t want any more kids – they know they need to work out a more permanent solution before it’s too late and _boom, pregnant!_

‘What’s the point when all we do is go around in circles? You don’t want to go back on the pill and I don’t want a vasectomy. What else is there to discuss?’

‘Well, do you want more kids?’

‘No. I think we both agree we’re done, don't we?'

‘We do. So do you want to stick with condoms for the rest of our lives? Condoms which, by the way, _can_ break Ben’

**_Thanks for that sex-ed lesson babe, I really had no idea how all this stuff worked._ **

Ben can’t help but feel a little frustrated that this conversation always seems to come back to him. He always feels attacked even though he knows he shouldn’t take it so personally. They've discussed Rey getting her tubes tied but even though she's open to the idea, when it comes to the crunch he'd prefer to do it himself, so he's not exactly sure what's holding him back-

‘Hell no. You know how much I hate those things’

‘Yeah, well there’s only one other option then. And that’s that we never have sex again’

To his astonishment, Rey looks like she might actually be considering this as an option.

‘You can’t be serious?’

Rey crosses her arms and looks all stern like. ‘I have to be, Ben. Because you won’t take it seriously’

‘I _am_ taking it seriously, babe. You realise I’ll still have to use condoms for a while afterwards anyway?’

Rey’s brow creases. ‘For how long exactly?’

‘At least 3 months’

‘3 months! You’re kidding?’

‘No, that’s what they recommend. It’s not just _wham bam thankyou maam._ I have to have tests until my sperm count reaches zero and until then there’s a chance you could still get pregnant’

‘Just my luck’

Ben knows because he’s been reading everything he can get his hands on. It's a life-changing decision and he wants to know all the facts and possible complications so he's 100% sure it’s their best option before he goes through with it.

Also because once it’s done it’s hard to reverse and sometimes even when you _do_ reverse it it’s not successful. It’s a _once it’s done it’s done_ deal for Ben and he just wants to be sure she understands that.

‘Ok, I guess we have to then’ she sighs. ‘But that’s only temporary. After that we’re good to go forever, aren’t we? No more condoms and no more kids’

She makes it sound so simple.

Ben flips onto his stomach and crosses his arms under his head, settling in to sleep. ‘That's the general idea, yeah’

He’s really too tired to talk about this right now and if he’s literally _just_ gotten her pregnant again, then what’s done is done anyway.

Rey rolls out of bed to head to the bathroom. ‘We’re not done talking about this, you know’ he hears her mutter as she walks away, but his eyes are already closing.

**_Yeah, I know._ **

It’s been a crappy first week back at work, Ryan’s had a cold and hasn’t really slept for three days and Ben really doesn’t feel like talking about someone making incisions in his prized possession right before a restful nights’ sleep.

 

~~~~

 

The next day though he decides it’s time to get serious and make a decision before it slowly drives him crazy.

So he turns to the one person he can trust to talk to about these delicate matters-

His Dad.

He decides to go and see Han and he takes Hope with him. They haven’t had many outings in the last few days with Ryan being unwell and Hope really misses her grandfather - the word _poppy_ the most used word in their household lately.

Leaving Rey with the triplets he bundles Hope in her warmest jacket and pops on her shoes, deciding he’ll surprise her and not tell her where they’re going until they get there. He can’t wait to see her little face light up once she realises, knowing her surprised reaction will be worth all the effort it takes just to get her into the car in the first place.

He would almost swear his own daughter loves _his_ father more than she does him-

Strapping Hope into her seat Ben hops in the front, letting the car idle to get the heater warmed up. They’ve got heated seats in the SUV and he finds himself wondering why they don’t use them more in the freezing winters, but then again he doesn’t use them this time either. Just another luxury in life they certainly could've lived without.

Luckily it’s only a short ride to his parents because the books and toys don’t keep her amused very long at all anymore.

‘How’s Poppy’s favourite girl?!’ Han asks, bending down just inside the front door as Hope launches into his arms for a long hug. He pulls her back and tucks her hair behind her ears. ‘And don’t you tell your sisters and brother I said that, ok?’

Hope nods as though she understands and as soon as Han lets her go she runs off to the living room where she knows the toys are, plonking down on the floor to tip every toy out of the tub.

‘Dad’ Ben nods, hanging his jacket on the hook inside the door. ‘Long time, no see’

‘Yeah, been a few weeks’ Han closes the door behind them to follow them into the living room. ‘She’s growing up too quickly, Ben. Isn’t there something you can do to put a stop to it?’

‘Yeah, I wish' Ben laughs. 'She’s outgrowing clothes quicker than we can buy them and I have a feeling she’s going to end up as tall as me. Which means a lifetime of alterations coming up, poor thing’

Han’s turn to laugh now. ‘You sound just like your mother’

‘Do I?’

‘She used to complain all the time about how she was always mending your clothes or buying new ones because you’d outgrow them so quickly. And I should probably be the one to apologise, because you definitely get your height from me’

‘Yeah, well I definitely didn’t get it from Mom that’s for sure’

They both have a little chuckle at that.

Ben removes Hope’s shoes with a fight before settling on the couch. Han makes tea and brings two steaming mugs out of the kitchen, only to return a second time with a plate of biscuits fresh from the packet. Oreo's too, Hope's favourite.

Leia was definitely the cook in the family and Ben misses her cooking more than anything, although Rey does a pretty good job in her place.

‘So, how’s things?’

Han reclines on the couch and crosses his legs, watching Hope playing happily in the corner of the room. ‘How’s the three little terrors?’

‘Yeah, good. Ryan’s had a cold for a few days and Rey thinks it could be a sinus thing but I dunno. If it doesn’t improve soon we’ll get it looked at, but I think he’ll be fine. The girls are fine, no real dramas'

'Gee' Han muses. 'Enjoy saying that while you can, cause in a few years...'

They give each other a look and Ben decides to count his blessings while he still can. He takes a sip of the heated liquid and it warms his throat on the way down.

‘Kids and sickness, ay? I remember it well’

‘Did I get sick much?’

‘Did you? Felt like you had a cold every second week. I think that was because you hated clothes though’

Ben chuckles, surprised he doesn’t remember that. Although to this day he still enjoys being nude so maybe that’s where it stems from?

‘You were always taking things off and we’d battle to get them back on’

Hope’s busy organising a tea-party for Ken, Barbie and the teddies while Han and Ben catch up on the latest goss, passing the time with idle chat.

‘Another drink?’

‘Yeah, why not. Thanks’

Han returns shortly after and Ben nearly burns his throat when he takes a sip a little too quickly, fanning his mouth with his hand.

He decides he should ask what he actually came to ask-

‘Mind if I ask you a personal question?’

Ben regards his father who simply shrugs. ‘Ask away’

‘It’s _kinda_ personal. Well not personal, but. Well it kinda is…’

‘Spit it out, kid. Hope has no idea what we’re talking about. Look at her…that teddy is gonna need a bathroom break pretty soon with all that tea she’s making him drink’

They two of them laugh together and Ben feels more comfortable about cutting to the chase.

‘Contraception’ Ben starts, turning to his father who raises his eyebrows.

‘I swear we've had this talk before’

Trust his father to come up with a smart comment, Ben feeling his ears flush pink.

‘Yeah, not _that_ talk. I wanted to ask how you and Mom handled contraception after me? Like, did you plan to have more kids or did you only want one?’

‘Ah’ Han changes positions, uncrossing and crossing his legs while casting his mind back. ‘Well, we were both happy with one, really. I mean, we talked about having more but it never happened so we figured it just wasn’t going to. Why do you ask?’

Ben releases a deep sigh. ‘Rey’s at me to get the snip’

‘Ohhh’ Han eyes his son. ‘She finally said enough’s enough, huh?’

‘Pretty much’ Ben works his jaw and tries to stifle an embarassed laugh. ‘I mean, we both agree no more kids but for some reason I’m still hesitant’

‘And you don't know why?’

Ben’s honestly not sure. Hope’s now at Han’s feet, offering him an empty cup of tea. He smiles and pretends to take a long sip, announcing a big ‘ah’ after he does which makes her giggle. So of course, he does it again.

And _again_. And _again_.

Her little laugh sets him off and Ben as well, the three of them a mass of giggles in the living room. Han picks her up and sets her on his knee and she continues playing, walking the teddy up and down his arm like it’s a tall mountain and they’re going hiking.

‘Dunno why I’m hesitant, really. Maybe just scared about going through with it? It’s like I need a sign so I know I'm making the right decision’

‘It’s not as bad as you think it is’ Han lowers Hope to the floor and offers her a biscuit before she goes wandering off to play with the blocks.

‘So you've had it done?’

‘I did in the end. We tried for more kids for a while and it didn’t happen, so we made the decision after that. It was a while ago now and it wasn't the done thing but I’m sure it’s more common these days’

Ben’s relieved he can finally discuss this with someone who’s actually been there, even if that man is his own father.

‘Is it painful? You know I hate pain. Geez, I fainted just _hearing_ Rey was pregnant with the triplets…not sure how I survived their birth exactly’

‘It’s not painful, not that I remember. It’s when the anesthetic wears off that you’ll feel it’

Ben winces at that.

‘You’ll be a bit sore and sorry but just follow their instructions and you’ll be fine. A few days after that and you’ll be back to normal’

‘Damn’ Ben laughs. ‘You were meant to say it's painful then I’d have some sort of excuse. Mind you, I don’t think Rey would let me off that easy’

‘Sorry kid. Look, if you’re asking my opinion?’

Han catches his eye and Ben nods. ‘I am’

‘If you’re certain you don’t want any more kids, I say go for it’

‘Yeah. I think you’re right’

Ben glances at his watch realising he has to get back home to help Rey with the next feed. ‘Thanks though’

‘Anytime’

‘Alright princess, we’d better get going’ Ben announces, standing to make his way over to Hope who’s still busy playing. She’s been so well behaved, but Ben knows it’s only because here she doesn’t have three others to compete against.

‘She’s no trouble. You’re lucky there’ Han comments.

‘Yeah’ Ben huffs, trying to wrangle Hope’s shoes back on. ‘When she’s playing by herself, she is. Just wait till she gets home’

He hoists her to her feet and straightens out the bottom of her dress which had become hooked into her stockings.

‘Time to say goodbye to Poppy, ok?’ Hope stares at Ben with large, sad eyes and begins babbling about wanting to stay.

‘I know, I know. But we can’t stay forever. I'm sure we'll be back soon. Why don't you go and give Poppy a hug goodbye?'

‘Bye-bye Poppy’ Hope extends her arms and Han grabs her for another long hug, hugging her extra tight before finally pulling back to place a kiss on her rosy cheek.

‘Bye beautiful girl. You come and see me more often, ok?’ Hope nods in agreement, as if she has any say in the matter.

‘We should’ Ben agrees, ‘I know we should. But it’s such a hassle to even leave the house these days with kids, you know what it's like’

Han nods. ‘Don't worry. I get it’

‘Why don’t you come to ours for dinner next week? I’ll tee it up with Rey and text you the details’

‘If she’s up for it, I'd love to’

Han carries Hope out to the car and Ben straps her in. ‘Oh, I’ll be right back. I almost forgot’

He ducks back inside for something while Ben starts the car to let it idle again. These freezing winters just don't get any warmer and even their newer car seems to struggle in the cold.

Before long Han's back at the drivers’ side window, Ben hitting the button to wind his window down as his father passes him a large envelope through the gap.

‘Found this cleaning out the last of your mothers’ things. I haven’t opened it because it’s addressed to you…but I have a feeling I know what it is. Open it and talk to Rey, ok? I’ll see you for dinner next week’

Ben takes the envelope and cradles it in his hand, noting his mother’s handwriting on the front. It simply says _Ben._

'What is it?' he asks but he can see his father is hesitant to tell him.

 _‘_ Just, open it tonight ok? We’ll talk about it next time I see you _’_

Ben places it onto the seat beside him and stares at it for a minute. ‘Ok. Will do’

Han takes a step back and bends down to wave at Hope through the window. Her head is resting back against the car seat and her eyes are beginning to drift closed.

‘She’ll probably fall asleep just as I pull up, I bet’ Ben laughs, pulling his seatbelt on.

‘They usually do’ Han laughs back, standing to wave them off just outside the house. 

Ben glances in the mirror as he drives away, remembering the days _both_ his parents would wave him off to college each semester and he can’t help but feel a little nostalgic that it can’t happen anymore.

But his mind quickly turns to other things-

Such as what’s in the envelope.

 

~~~~

 

The envelope's been sitting on the dining table for a few hours now. Ben wanted to open it as soon as he got home but life, _as always_ , got in the way.

He’s sitting staring at it when Rey walks in from the shower, her head cocked to the side as she towel-dries her hair.

Ben looks up as she comes toward him. ‘Feel better?’

‘Mm. Amazing what a decent shower can do’ she smiles, wrapping her hair up and coming to stand behind him with her hands on his shoulders.

‘Are you going to open it or just stare at it until it opens itself?’ She sinks down into the seat beside him, her warm hand coming to rest on his arm.

Ben glances up and their eyes meet.

‘Or I can open it, if you want?’

Ben swallows, shaking his head. ‘No, no, it’s fine. I’m just a little nervous’

‘Well, I doubt it’s anything bad. It’s from your mother, after all. And you won’t know until you open it’

‘You’re right’ He takes a deep breath and picks up the envelope, working his jaw as he slips his finger under the tab to break the seal. Pulling the letter out he sits the envelope aside and begins to read.

Rey can’t tell exactly what it is but she recognises Leia’s handwriting on one page and what looks to be an formal letter accompanying it. She watches him as he scans the page, his eyes not giving anything away.

Once he’s finished he passes the letter to Rey and moves on to the other correspondence. After he’s read it all he places it down on the table and brings his hands up to his face.

‘I don’t believe it’ he mutters in shock, Rey still working her way through Leia’s letter.

According to the date at the top it was written the day her and Ben got married. Rey fights back tears as she reaches the end, placing the letter down to reach for her husband's trembling hand.

‘Oh my god, Ben’

They sit in silence as the information sinks in, Ben tracing his fingers over his mother’s handwriting.

Rey can’t believe what she’s just read.

‘How did she know?’ Ben finally asks, shaking his head in disbelief.

‘I honestly have no idea’ Rey replies, stroking his hand with her thumb. ‘It was just meant to be, I guess’

Ben’s _still_ shaking his head. ‘But...how could she have _possibly known_ we’d end up with 4 kids?!’

That part was the hardest part for Rey and if she's being honest it gives her a slightly uneasy feeling to know that Leia predicted this long before it even came to fruition. The letter she’d written Ben was deeply personal - all about the wishes she had for the two of them and how she was sorry she wouldn’t be around to see her grandchildren.

But the most unbelievable part was that she’d predicted they’d have 4 children and she’d put money aside in a trust fund for each of them to access when they turned 21.

‘Is that figure for real?’ Rey asks a teary-eyed Ben, shaking her own head now. ‘That’s so much money’

The trust fund, according to the letter in front of them, totals $500,000 – $100,000 for each of their 4 children and $100,000 for the two of them.

Ben’s had money his whole life but he’s never had anything that means quite _this much_ to him.

Rey is simply in a state of shock. She really has no idea what to even say. Glancing at Ben she can see he’s about to break so she perches herself on his lap to run her hands through his hair the way he likes.

‘It’s ok, you know. You can cry’

Ben takes one look at her and the tears burst through – tears that quickly turn into sobs. He thought he’d cried as much as he needed to after his mother’s funeral but this gift has hit him _hard_.

He tries to talk in between sobs but Rey places a finger to his lips. ‘Shh, it’s ok. There’s plenty of time for talk’

She wants her husband to cry, to let it all out, because he’s obviously got unresolved grief and she knows it’s better for him to get it out than for it to accumulate even more. All she can do is stroke his hair and be there for him.

Once he calms down, they talk things through and briefly discuss what they might do with the money. A family holiday once the kids get a bit older quickly shoots to the top of that list – Rey having no happy memories of her own the main driving factor behind that decision.

They end up talking late into the night about Leia, the money and family - finally sinking into bed after midnight with Rey still finishing off another feed.

Ben finally hops in, bending to give his tiny son a kiss on the head, his enthusiastic sucking noises filling the room. Ben has to laugh when it comes to Ryan and food – his appetite already reminds him a lot of himself growing up.

‘Kid can eat’ he muses, settling back up against the pillows. ‘Gets more boob action than I do these days’

‘Yep. Definitely a boob man’

‘Who could blame the kid?’ Ben turns to his side to watch the two of them. Ryan’s eyes flick open every now and then when he hears Ben’s voice before he goes back to feeding.

‘Hey, I made a decision about the snip’

Rey’s eyes go wide and she’s slightly hopeful. ‘You did?’

‘Yep. I’m gonna have it’

Rey puts her arm up and motions for him to snuggle into her side, his head settling on her shoulder. ‘What changed your mind?’

‘Mom’s letter’

Rey had thought as much.

‘She somehow knew we’d have 4 kids, and I have no idea how, but I think that’s pretty telling. I wanted some sort of sign, so I figure that’s it’

Rey does her best sympathetic face but deep down she’s thrilled. Their family is complete and she’s more than happy with that.

‘So you’re getting the snip?’

‘Looks like I am’ Ben replies with a laugh. ‘And I’m zonked so I’m gonna crash, babe. You want that lamp off?’

‘No, it’s ok’ Rey swaps Ryan to her other breast. ‘He’s obviously hungry so I’ll give him the other boob and I’ll turn it off when I put him to bed. You sleep, you need it’

Ben reaches up and Rey leans down, their lips meeting in a goodnight kiss. ‘Alright. Love you two. Night’

‘Love you, too. Night babe’

 

~~~~~

 

5 days later and Ben sits nervously in the surgery waiting room. It’s only a relatively short procedure, half an hour all up and then he’ll be good to go, but he’s still nervous as hell.

Glancing around the waiting room he wonders if any of the other men in the room are here for the same reason he is. He decides to assess them one by one because people-watching has always been his favourite way to pass the time.

**_That guy? Nah. His missus looks young still so he’ll probably need his swimmers for a while longer._ **

There’s an exhausted-looking couple in the corner of the room that Ben can relate to, the mother trying desperately to wrangle her out-of-control child, the father with his head stuck in a magazine.

**_From the look she’s giving him right now, she’s also done. May as well join me, mate._ **

A quieter couple sit off to the side and Ben figures they’re newlyweds from the shine of their rings and the fact they’re holding hands.

**_Ah, true love. Just wait. Crying kids and next to no sleep and you’ll be getting the snip too, bro._ **

‘Ben Solo?’

He’s awoken from his thoughts by the tall man with his head stuck through the door. Standing from the seat he follows the doctor down the hall and into his office, blowing out a nervous breath as he takes a seat behind the desk.

**_Too late to back out now._ **

It’s barely half an hour and he’s out of there feeling a little sore and sorry for himself, but what’s done is done.

He’s got two follow-up appointments scheduled over the next few months so they can monitor his sperm count and once it registers zero they’ll be good to go.

Arriving home that afternoon he’s greeted by the very reason he’d done this in the first place, the apartment door falling closed as he encounters what he affectionately calls _cactus hour_.

Cactus hour in the Solo household is the time between 4pm and 6pm when all the kids want feeding at once and you can’t hear yourself think over all the crying. Things can get rather… _prickly_.

Rey shoots him a glance and places Emie back into her bassinet, her arms now free to give him the hug he so desperately needs.

She’s sure to hold him a little longer than usual this time.

‘Everything go ok?’

‘Pretty good, bit sore’ Ben pulls back and runs a hand through his hair. ‘Protection for 3 months then we should be right for good’

Rey smiles and reaches up for a gentle kiss. ‘Thank you. Really, I mean that’

‘Anything for you babe, you know that’

Pulling the follow-up appointment card from his pocket he places it under a magnet on the fridge, his attention quickly turning to the kids still causing a ruckus. ‘Have they been like this the whole time?’

‘Pretty much. Ryan’s due for a nap and the others are due a feed. Can I get you to feed Avie?’

Ben takes a seat at the desk and flicks on his laptop. ‘No worries. I’ve gotta send this report but I can feed her at the same time’

Rey puts Ryan down for his nap and returns to the kitchen to heat up two bottles for the girls. Ben takes one and Rey takes the other, Avie sucking away happily as he submits the report for his presentation next week. No doubt Hux won’t rush to double-check it anyway, which is the entire reason he’s having to send it in so early in the first place.

Thankfully they’ve been incorporating bottle feeds lately so Ben's been able to share the load, Rey desperate to give her boobs a break when she can. Feeding three bubs has proven to be exhausting work but it feels like they’ve finally settled on a system that works - express when they sleep and feed when they’re awake. They’d hate to jinx it but it seems to be working so far.

Ben finishes his report and joins Rey on the couch, both girls enjoying their longest feed of the day.

‘Let’s hope they sleep all night now’

Ben knows she’s joking but he wishes it were true. ‘There’s optimistic and there’s optimistic babe. And that? Well that’s just asking for a miracle’

They haven’t managed a full nights’ sleep since the babies were born but then again they’d never expected to. Life with 4 kids was _never_ going to be a walk in the park.

‘Yeah, I know. Not gonna happen. But just let me live in the moment, _please?_ ’

He flashes her a resigned smile. ‘Of course. And who knows? They might surprise us’

‘Mm, you’re right. Never gonna happen’ Rey chuckles, getting up to put Emie in the crib. ‘That should do them for now anyway, may aswell put them down at the same time’

Ben joins her for the walk down the hall, all 3 babies now tucked safely into their cribs. Ryan’s already fast asleep, looking peaceful with his little hands above his head. Seems they might even get all 3 sleeping at once, which would be a first for a while.

Rey manages to get a load of washing in the machine and another load in the dryer before a high-pitched cry breaks any illusions she may have had about getting the housework done in peace.

Ben tries to catch up on some emails but most of his time is spent watching Hope and re-dressing her every time she takes another item of clothing off.

‘Honey, you need to keep your shirt on. It’s freezing today and I don’t want you to catch a cold like your brother, ok?’

‘Hope. Daddy asked you to keep your pants _on._ We don’t dress you just for fun, you know’

By the time he’s finished working and Rey’s finished the washing it’s time for dinner. Ben manages to get Hope fed before another baby wakes and some of the food even manages to stay in her mouth which is a miracle in itself.

He does love feeding her though and he has to admit his aeroplane feeding technique is quite exceptional now. He doesn’t care if his wife laughs, Hope smiles and giggles and to him that’s all that matters, although Hope does prefer to grab the spoon and attempt to feed herself these days.

By the time dinner is over and the kids are somewhat settled, Ben’s acutely aware of the dull ache in his groin. He remembers the doctor recommended he ice the site on and off for a day or two but he’d forgotten all about it until now.

Rummaging through the freezer, he calls out to Rey. ‘Babe, do we have any ice-packs?’

‘Not that I’m aware of’

Rey paces the loungeroom burping Ryan over her shoulder, his little eyes wide and curious. ‘I think there’s some frozen peas in there somewhere, if they’ll do? What do you need them for?’

‘The ache in my balls’

‘Oh. Is it bad?’

‘Not really, just annoying. Doc said to ice it if I can. Ah, found ‘em’

Wrapping the packet of peas in a thin cloth he slumps onto the couch and shoves them down his pants to rest them over the sorest spot, the sudden blast of cold making him wince.

‘How long will it be sore for?’

Ben tries to recall what the doctor had told him. ‘Few days, from memory?’

‘And sex?’ Rey’s eyebrows go up and she rocks from side to side to cradle their boy to sleep.

‘Not for a week or so, sorry. If I feel up to it after that he said it’s fine’

‘Fair enough. Won’t kill us to take a break’

‘Speak for yourself’ Ben laughs, adjusting the peas to the other side of his tender groin, pretty sure the previous side is numb. It’s a strange feeling but at least the ache is fading.

‘Oh by the way, Rose and Finn wanted to drop around tomorrow if that’s ok? I was thinking we should ask them to stay for dinner?’

Ben sighs and goes to make an excuse but Rey has anticipated what he’s about to say.

‘I know babe, but we live in chaos on a daily basis, it’s not like they expect us to clean the house for them’

‘Well that's good because I don’t even remember what clean _is_ ’ Ben replies, glancing around the messy living room.

‘Exactly. And we haven’t seen Bryson for weeks now, I miss him’

‘What? 4 kids of your own not enough?’

Rey pokes her tongue out playfully in reply. ‘You know what I mean. He’s getting so big now and I think Hope’s about ready for another play date’

‘Ok, ok. Well I’m happy with it as long as you are. But don’t go cooking – let’s just get takeout’

‘Read my mind’ Rey replies, heading down the hall and disappearing into the nursery. ‘I’ll text Rose and let her know not to bring anything’

 

~~~~

 

Before he heads to bed that night, Ben returns the now soggy peas back to the freezer in case he needs them again tomorrow, sinking in beside his wife and adjusting to get comfortable. His balls are numb and still cold and it’s the weirdest feeling-

Rey lies on her back staring at the ceiling while mulling over Ben’s procedure. ‘So, what happens to your sperm now?’

‘What do you mean what happens to them?’

‘Well, are they all dead?’

Ben laughs softly. ‘I think they still produce, they just die off’

‘Oh’ Rey frowns, rolling onto her side to look at him.

‘Why? Are you sad for them?’

‘A little?’ she laughs. ‘But I guess I can’t feel too bad’

Ben adjusts his position, wincing at the sensation.

‘Still sore?’

‘Yeah’

Rey pulls herself up against the pillow. ‘I could kiss it better?’

He wasn't expecting that but he considers her offer despite his discomfort. ‘Do you really _want_ to?’

Rey nods. ‘Yeah. I feel a bit guilty’

‘You don’t need to…but you can if you want’

Rey pulls the covers back to cup him softly, Ben shifting at the initial contact. She carefully works his underwear down to study the wound site.

Ever so gently she leans down to plant a kiss on his soft cock and it gives a little twitch, seemingly  happy for the attention. Adding more soft kisses she can feel him begin to harden under her mouth.

She stops then, peering up at him. ‘If you get hard will it hurt?’

Ben literally watches himself go from soft to hard within seconds. ‘Feels ok’ he smiles, the worry on Rey’s face starting to subside.

‘Can I?’

He knows what she’s asking but he’s not sure it’s such a good idea this soon. ‘Uh, better not. I shouldn’t come yet, sorry’

‘Don’t be’

She plants one final kiss there and pulls herself up to settle on her pillow. ‘Although I probably shouldn’t have done that then, sorry’

‘No, that’s ok. I said you could. And whattya know…feels better already’

Rey pokes her tongue out again, the second time she’s done it today. ‘Very funny’

‘Ok. You may not have made it feel better but now I’m horny and I need someone to take it out on. Can I eat you out?’

He can see the hesitation on her face. ‘Well, you could…but I haven’t showered today’

Ben cocks his head back at her with a knowing look. ‘You know I don’t care about that. Do you _want_ me to?’

‘Yeah’

‘Then that’s all I care about’

Ben moves to his knees now, turning to face her. He decides laying down on his stomach is probably going to become uncomfortable with his balls as sore as they are, so he chooses to kneel and Rey sits up pulling her legs toward her stomach.

He pulls her underwear off and throws them to the floor, pulling one leg to settle on his shoulder as he pushes the other gently away with his other hand. Rey sighs deeply and closes her eyes as Ben licks his lips and descends on her.

It’s been so long since he’s done this and it’s exactly what she wants right now. He starts painfully slow and gentle but unfortunately it’s a little too blissful for Rey and she’s drifting off before he’s even really started.

Ben stops as soon as he notices her eyes are closed and her breathing has settled, the soft moaning all but disappearing. He returns up the bed and pulls her in close, shaking his head with a soft laugh.

If he didn’t know her as well as he did he’d almost be offended that she wasn’t enjoying it, but he knows she needs a good nights’ sleep much more than she needs this.

Everything else can wait-

-after all, they have forever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Second last chapter, friends!! 😭 I'll be so sad to see them go but it's time to move on to other things and let them get on with their lives.  
> There'll be a significant time jump to finish this one off but I hope you've enjoyed the ride as much as I have. Thanks for sticking with this story, comments & kudos always appreciated xxx


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